A Huawei has been working, since 2018, on its own operating system with the aim of replacing Google’s Android platform. This was its “Plan B” in case it lost access to Google services in its software, a base widely used by rivals Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi and other mobile device manufacturers.
Huawei was then concerned about the possible extension of sanctions already applied to fellow countryman ZTE, blacklisted by the US for selling equipment to North Korea and Iran, thus violating existing sanctions. Shortly afterwards, in 2019, by Donald Trump’s pen, Huawei would be placed on that same blacklist, where it remains until then.
Huawei remains on US blacklist under Biden administration
In August 2019, a few months after losing access to Google services (May 2019), Huawei presented its HarmonyOS. This platform, as presented by Richard Yu, the strong man of Huawei’s consumer department, was designed to work with various devices.
Aiming to unite from the smartphone to the computer, Smart Home, smart speakers, watches, tablets and even the car, it is certain that its initial versions were little more than a modified version of Android.
Now how HarmonyOS 3.0 already pre-installed on Mate 50, the top of the range from the Chinese manufacturer for the beginning of this year, the adoption of this platform will have improved considerably.
HarmonyOS 3.0 is its trump card, already installed on Mate 50 smartphones
As the publication GizChina advances, HarmonyOS has more than 320 million active mobile devices. It is, according to these metrics, the third most popular mobile operating system in the world, behind Android and iOS.
The best of everything? presents a 113% annual growth ratean impressive figure.
In short, these metrics are quite impressive, especially for a company that literally had to start from zero in a handful of years. It’s the equivalent of fighting a duel with one hand tied behind your back and still standing.
Third-party installations of the HarmonyOS system have also increased with 250 million products using this new operating system. These include smart light bulbs, TVs, microwaves and even internet-enabled smart fridges.
Especially here, Huawei has reason to celebrate, thanks to the 212% annual growth on the platform adoption rate.
AppGallery, Huawei’s PlayStore also surprises positively
Huawei’s app store is also growing consistently. It is currently the third largest app store, behind the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. However, here is where Huawei has more work to do, since in its store we only have 220 thousand applications compared to approximately 2.5 million apps in the Play Store.
Nevertheless, the AppGallery manages to meet the needs of around 580 million monthly users, so there is a positive note here.
Huawei remains deprived of 5G chipsets and processors
Currently the biggest bottleneck for Huawei’s growth is its inability to use the latest chipsets and processors from Qualcomm, for example. Note that your Mate 50 as well as the Huawei P50 use Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processors limited to 4G.
That is, they use versions of normal processors, with a modem limited to 4G LTE mobile networks, without access to fifth-generation mobile networks. As a result of trade restrictions in place at SMIC, China’s largest semiconductor manufacturer cannot create the latest chipsets for Huawei.
However, as the MyDrivers publication advances, Huawei will have submitted a new patent application that partially covers some of the technology necessary for the latest generation of lithography. More specifically, the patent number 202110524685X.
Huawei may have chipsets with access to 5G networks again
It should be noted that the patent application has not yet been assigned to Huawei by the responsible entity in China, as reported by DigiTimes Asia. However, if so, the company will have thus resolved one of the main obstacles to its current assertion in the mobile device market.
Finally, the brand is confident of its “return to the game”. However, we will still have to wait for the approval of the patent, application of the technology, production of the respective components and final application to mobile devices.
It is, if nothing else, a proof of overcoming and a possible return to the market dominated by Samsung, Apple and Xiaomi.
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