Huawei's March Launch Event: A New Phone with Native HarmonyOS Aims for 100 Million Users

Huawei's March Launch Event: A New Phone with Native HarmonyOS Aims for 100 Million UsersFollowing earlier announcements of a March launch event, Huawei's CEO of Consumer Business, Richard Yu, expressed his gratitude on Weibo to the team for their dedicated work on the native HarmonyOS. He recently formally announced that the first phone built for native HarmonyOS will be released in March

Huawei's March Launch Event: A New Phone with Native HarmonyOS Aims for 100 Million Users

Following earlier announcements of a March launch event, Huawei's CEO of Consumer Business, Richard Yu, expressed his gratitude on Weibo to the team for their dedicated work on the native HarmonyOS. He recently formally announced that the first phone built for native HarmonyOS will be released in March. He revealed that ecosystem partners Tencent, ByteDance, Meituan, and Alibaba are actively optimizing app experiences to deliver a superior user experience. Tencent officially retweeted the announcement, confirming their continued collaboration with Huawei to refine the user experience.

Yu previously hinted at a surprisingly affordable phone with native HarmonyOS during a livestream. In a recent video, he further described the new phone as "born from HarmonyOS, natively intelligent," representing a significant breakthrough in hardware-software ecosystem integration. He emphasized the efforts of Tencent, ByteDance, Meituan, and Alibaba in optimizing app experiences to ensure the smooth operation and rich app ecosystem of native HarmonyOS.

• According to multiple sources contacted by a reporter from the Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily, this new phone will feature innovations in foldable phone design. Unlike the Huawei Mate70 series, which pre-installed HarmonyOS 4.3 with the option to upgrade to pure HarmonyOS, this new phone will come pre-installed with pure HarmonyOS and fully support native HarmonyOS apps, offering users a purer HarmonyOS experience.

In addition to the highly anticipated new foldable phone, sources also revealed that Huawei is preparing a tablet that combines foldable screen and PC functionalities. This product is also expected to debut at the March launch event, further enriching Huawei's smart device ecosystem.

Huawei's ambition for the HarmonyOS ecosystem is evident. In his 2025 New Year's letter to Huawei's terminal employees in January, Yu stated that HarmonyOS needs intensive investment in 2025 to achieve the goal of 100,000 apps, a key indicator of ecosystem maturity, and a crucial objective for the next six to twelve months. Huawei aims to decisively break through the critical point, targeting 100 million users for native HarmonyOS.

Counterpoint's latest report shows that the Chinese foldable smartphone market grew by 27% in 2024. Huawei, leveraging its leading technology and market influence in foldable phones, captured half of the market share, becoming the market leader. Honor, another key player, also secured a double-digit market share. Counterpoint notes that while the foldable phone market remains niche, accounting for only about 3% of the Chinese smartphone market, foldable devices are constantly evolving and maturing with each generation. With better software and hardware integration and more attractive application scenarios, the foldable phone market is poised for sustainable growth.

It's noteworthy that Apple, which hasn't entered the foldable phone market, is reportedly planning to launch foldable phones and tablets. Display industry analyst Ross Young predicts Apples entry into the foldable phone market in the second half of 2026, further intensifying market competition.

Huawei's choice of March for the launch event is a strategic move, reflecting confidence in its technological capabilities and market position, and demonstrating its commitment to HarmonyOS. Huawei has already achieved significant success in the foldable phone market, controlling half of it. The launch of this new native HarmonyOS phone will further solidify Huawei's leading position and potentially drive the foldable phone market towards greater maturity and wider adoption.

The launch of this native HarmonyOS phone is more than just a new product; it's a significant strategic move in the mobile operating system arena. Through deep collaborations with leading internet companies like Tencent, ByteDance, Meituan, and Alibaba, Huawei will further refine the HarmonyOS ecosystem, enrich application scenarios, and enhance the user experience. This is crucial for Huawei to achieve its goal of 100 million HarmonyOS users.

Huawei's exploration of a tablet that integrates foldable screen and PC functionalities further reflects its strategic intent in multi-device collaboration and ecosystem integration. By creating a more comprehensive and open ecosystem, Huawei aims to provide users with a more convenient and intelligent digital life experience.

Huawei's actions will undoubtedly have a far-reaching impact on the Chinese and global smartphone markets. With more manufacturers entering the foldable phone market and leading companies like Huawei continuously improving their ecosystems, the foldable phone market is poised for explosive growth. Huawei's launch event will be a major industry event, and we await its unfolding with anticipation. This is not only about Huawei's future but also the future landscape of the Chinese smartphone industry. The success of native HarmonyOS will be not only Huawei's success but also a significant breakthrough for China's technology industry on the world stage.

This launch will present Huawei with numerous challenges. Achieving the 100 million user target requires continuous investment in R&D and improvements in product quality and user experience. It also necessitates close collaboration with partners to build a more vibrant HarmonyOS ecosystem. Only then can Huawei achieve its ambitious goals and lead the Chinese smartphone industry to new heights. This launch event will undoubtedly showcase Huawei's determination and strength. Let us all look forward to March.