Huawei Hopes for Perfect Harmony
“There’s no question Android phones are the best,” “iPhones are worth every penny,” “Apple is not what it used to be,” “Android is slow,”. These are just some of the best ways to start an argument or stir up a conversation, and here’s no doubt you have heard this before. For over a decade people have argued for the platform or operating system they love the most. We are all forced to pick a side: team Apple iOS or team Android/Google.
All of the other possible alternatives have pretty much come and gone. In January even Microsoft announced that support for Windows 10 Mobile would end in December and that Windows 10 Mobile users should migrate to iOS or Android. BlackBerry exists only as a brand name, and the manufacturer making BlackBerry phones is now using Android. So, I guess we are stuck between an apple, an android, and a hard place.
But wait, across the pond on the other side of the world, global information and communications technology giant Huawei brings you the next big thing! Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd have officially introduced HarmonyOS to the world. HarmonyOS is Huawei’s alternative to the long running Android system. The new platform was finally unveiled at the Huawei Developer Conference in China. It is a light, fast operating system that could power smart experiences across various devices.
Although it might have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to the app ecosystem, HarmonyOS could be a very effective mid-range smartphone operating system. For starters, it’s supposed to mirror the look of Huawei’s EMUI 10, the latest version of Huawei’s interface that sits on top of Android, so at least it will feel familiar to existing users.
While it won’t have access to the Google Play Store or services, HarmonyOS is compatible with the Android infrastructure and apps, so with a few tweaks a developer should be able to make their apps run on a Harmony phone, smartwatch, tablet, TV or even a car head unit. Huawei has made HarmonyOS open-source too, further nurturing its relationship with the app developer community.
According to Huawei, one line of HarmonyOS code can do the job of 100 lines of Android code, which is what makes it perfect for devices with small amounts of storage, such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, smart speakers and car dashboards.
It has been built with a system to link all interrelated devices. This means you can go from room to room and your video call can follow you across devices, from a TV to a smart screen to a phone, and finally to a computer. It is almost as if everything is in perfect…Harmony.
So is it all too good to be true?… Well, kind of. Huawei announced that the Honor Smart Screen TV will be the first product running Harmony OS, and the company intends to continue using Android for the time being. Comments from Huawei’s consumer CEO is noting that the company’s situation with Android is still “unclear”. So as of now, Harmony remains a TV operating system with a bright future in smart devices. However, things will likely change if the U.S. government enforces the ban that will prevent Huawei from accessing important Android components, including the Google Play Store. Regardless of what happens Huawei is certainly creating a lot of buzz and excitement over all of the new potential possibilities.
Who knows, one day instead of being stuck between an apple, an android, and a hard place, maybe we could all live in perfect harmony.
