Huawei's HarmonyOS: Surpassing iOS and Reshaping China's Tech Landscape

Huawei's HarmonyOS: Surpassing iOS and Reshaping China's Tech Landscape2023 witnessed a significant shift in the global tech landscape. Huawei's HarmonyOS (HarmonyOS) achieved a breakthrough, surpassing iOS with a 19% market share to become the second-largest mobile operating system in China

Huawei's HarmonyOS: Surpassing iOS and Reshaping China's Tech Landscape

2023 witnessed a significant shift in the global tech landscape. Huawei's HarmonyOS (HarmonyOS) achieved a breakthrough, surpassing iOS with a 19% market share to become the second-largest mobile operating system in China. This accomplishment signifies not only a major advance in China's foundational software capabilities but also underscores the rise of Chinese tech companies in global competition. The speed of this development is remarkable. From its initial "backup plan" to its current thriving ecosystem, and from chip shortages to the resurgence of Kirin chips, Huawei has demonstrated impressive resilience and innovation, making its impact undeniable.

In this silent technological battle, Huawei has built a closed-loop ecosystem encompassing the operating system, chips, developers, and universities. Recently, two pieces of good news further solidified Huawei's leading position in the market.

The first is the significant increase in HarmonyOS market share. Counterpoint's research report shows that in Q4 2024, HarmonyOS reached a 19% share of the Chinese mobile OS market, while iOS held only 17%. This marks four consecutive quarters where HarmonyOS has outperformed Apple's iOS, solidifying its position as the second-largest mobile operating system in China. This leading position is not a fleeting phenomenon but is built upon continuous effort and innovation. Huawei is actively pushing forward with HarmonyOS upgrade plans, continuously enhancing its competitiveness.

Huawei has officially announced a new HarmonyOS 5 upgrade plan, with numerous models joining the public beta testing program. Flagship models like the Huawei Mate60 series, Mate70 series, MateX5 series, and MateX6 series are currently undergoing public beta testing. Furthermore, the Huawei Nova12 series and Nova13 series will begin public beta testing on March 31st; the Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2-inch 2025 model, MatePad Pro 12.2-inch model, MatePad Air 12-inch model, and MatePad 11.5-inch S series will also launch their Pollen Beta tests on the same day. HarmonyOS 5.0.1 is slated for official release in the second quarter of this year, covering numerous models including the Huawei Mate60 series, Huawei Mate70 series, Huawei Mate XT Master Edition, Huawei nova Flip, and Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2-inch series.

This intensive upgrade plan indicates that HarmonyOS will cover more devices in the future, further expanding its market share and posing a strong challenge to competitors. Continuous system upgrades and broad device coverage will lay a solid foundation for the future development of HarmonyOS.

The second piece of good news is the release of the full-blooded Kirin 9020 chip. The launch of the Huawei Pura X foldable flagship officially unveiled the Kirin 9020 processor. This full-blooded chip uses the Taishan architecture, boasts a clock speed of up to 2.5GHz, and features a Mali-G920 GPU with a 35% performance increase and a 22% improvement in power efficiency compared to its predecessor. Simultaneously, Huawei also released the lower-clocked Kirin 9020A. Through a precise chip stratification strategy, Huawei ensures flagship product performance while effectively controlling costs in the mid-to-high-end market.

While the Kirin processor won't see major iterations in the short term, even the lower-clocked Kirin 9020A delivers excellent performance and power consumption. Market rumors suggest that the Huawei Pura 80 series will launch with models featuring both the Kirin 9020 and the full-blooded version. Even with differences in core clock frequency, the optimized HarmonyOS ensures smooth daily use and performance.

This "hardware-software" collaborative innovation model is the key to Huawei's technological breakthrough. As Huawei's rotating chairman Xu Zhijun stated, "We no longer pursue the ultimate in single-point parameters, but rather the breakthrough in system-level experience." The success of this strategy means Huawei has found a unique advantage in technological competition, opening up broader possibilities for future development.

Beyond breakthroughs in mobile operating systems and processors, Huawei's upcoming HarmonyOS PC is attracting considerable attention, seen as the final piece of the Huawei ecosystem puzzle. Unlike traditional Windows devices, the HarmonyOS PC is expected to achieve three breakthroughs: cross-device integration, shared computing power, and a secure architecture. Reports suggest the HarmonyOS PC will also feature a Huawei-developed processor, further enhancing its autonomy and performance.

In the field of foundational software, mere technological breakthroughs cannot guarantee an unbreakable competitive advantage. A complete ecosystem must be established, encompassing technical standards, development tools, application ecosystems, and talent reserves. Huawei is actively building such a complete ecosystem to ensure the long-term development of HarmonyOS.

Huawei's rise reflects not only its technological strength but also the overall improvement in the strength of China's technology industry. During the semiconductor winter, the Kirin chip demonstrated tenacious vitality; millions of developers built a digital Great Wall with their code. Huawei's success inspires more Chinese technology companies to dare to innovate and push boundaries.

In conclusion, Huawei's HarmonyOS surpassing iOS marks a significant breakthrough in China's foundational software sector. This is not only Huawei's success but also a collective victory for China's technology industry. Huawei's continued efforts in HarmonyOS and Kirin chips will further solidify its leading position in the domestic market and launch a challenge to the global market. Huawei's next steps are worth watching. What are your expectations for Huawei's future development? Let's look forward to Huawei creating more miracles in the future.