Harmony OS has been claimed to be Huawei’s alternative to Android. However, the Chinese company has poured cold water on any expectations that the operating system could come to a phone anytime soon.
A senior Huawei executive has revealed that Harmony OS for smartphones could be years away. The news comes despite Huawei having already released a TV running Harmony OS – the Huawei Vision.
Related: Best Android phones
Speaking to the Financial Times, Huawei US’ vice president of public affairs, Joy Tan, said: “… a viable alternative to Android’s operating system will take years to complete.”
For now, Huawei looks to be relying on the development of Huawei Mobile Services on Android – as a replacement to Google Play Services – until it can eventually replace Google’s mobile OS.
Huawei included its new Mobile Services on the recent released Huawei Mate 30 range. The Mate 30 range uses the open-source version of Android but is not permitted to include Google Play Services.
Tan continued: “We have to find alternative solutions for that ecosystem, but it’s going to take some time to build. There are so many Android users in Europe and south-east Asia, and they’re so used to these Google applications on top of Android phones.”
Tan’s comments fall in line with what fellow Huawei executive Vincent Pang said back in August. Pang declared: “We want to maintain one standard, one ecosystem.”
So, it appears, Huawei doesn’t want to jump all in on Harmony OS until it can completely take over its use of Android – and that isn’t happening anytime soon.
Related: What is Huawei Harmony OS?
We here at Trusted Reviews have given our thoughts on the hamstrung Huawei Mate 30 Pro. Our review said: “The Huawei Mate 30 Pro is a high-performing flagship handset that has a breath-taking camera and an enduring battery.
“Minor flaws in the interface and screen quality are not deal-breakers themselves, but the lack of Google apps on this phone (currently with no authorised workaround) make it impossible to recommend this phone.”
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
