Huawei Technologies is set to make a bold shift in the smartphone and tablet market by completely replacing Google’s Android with its homegrown HarmonyOS Next, as from 2025. This landmark decision underlines Huawei’s strategic move to reduce reliance on U.S. technology and reinforce its presence in China’s premium tech market, especially in competition with Apple.
The announcement was made during a live-streamed event unveiling Huawei’s new flagship smartphone, the Mate 70, and its Pro variants. This new series, powered by the entirely self-developed HarmonyOS Next, will be available starting December 4. This operating system represents Huawei’s first full departure from Android, as the company works to establish a comprehensive ecosystem independent of U.S. tech giants.
The Mate 70 follows the successful Mate 60 series, which brought Huawei back into the spotlight last year by showcasing its ability to innovate despite trade restrictions imposed by the U.S. These restrictions had aimed to hinder the company’s access to advanced chip manufacturing capabilities. The new Mate 70 boasts a 40% performance improvement over its predecessor, largely due to HarmonyOS Next, though Huawei has yet to disclose details about the processors driving the devices.
Priced at 5,499 yuan ($760), the Mate 70 is expected to make a significant impact in the Chinese market. Analysts predict Huawei could manufacture over 10 million units of the device during its lifecycle. While it is speculated that the phone will feature Huawei’s in-house Kirin chips, experts believe their performance might not rival top-tier offerings from Qualcomm and MediaTek. This could pose a challenge in attracting users of non-Huawei Android devices.
The transition to HarmonyOS Next is a cornerstone of Huawei’s long-term strategy to overcome years of U.S. sanctions. Huawei launched the HarmonyOS mobile operating system on its handsets in June 2021 having lost access to Google mobile services after the United States put the Chinese telecommunications company on a trade blacklist.
However, technological limitations persist, with Huawei unable to advance beyond 7nm chipmaking processes until at least 2026. Meanwhile, competitors such as Apple are preparing to launch devices using cutting-edge 2nm technology.
Huawei’s pivot reflects a broader trend among Chinese tech companies striving to reduce dependency on foreign technology. Xiaomi, for instance, is developing its own mobile processor to lessen reliance on Qualcomm and MediaTek.
Despite challenges, Huawei has demonstrated resilience, recording consistent sales growth for seven consecutive quarters. In China, its smartphone shipments have experienced double-digit growth over the past year, signaling strong domestic demand.
Beyond smartphones, Huawei continues to diversify its offerings. It recently introduced a gold-plated smartwatch priced at 23,999 yuan and launched the world’s first trifold phone. With HarmonyOS Next, Huawei is not just reimagining its product line but also reinforcing its role as a leader in China’s tech ecosystem, determined to thrive despite external pressures.
