What you’ll want to know
Huawei will transfer away from the Android Open Supply Mission for HarmonyOS Subsequent.
The subsequent model of the corporate’s cellular working system might be constructed by itself customized structure.
The transfer will drop help for Google apps, however it’s going to enhance efficiency and effectivity on Huawei gadgets.
Huawei might be absolutely shifting away from Android apps on its gadgets with the following model of HarmonyOS, referred to as HarmonyOS Subsequent. The brand new model of Huawei’s in-house working system was previewed this week at HDC 2024, the corporate’s developer convention. As reported by GizmoChina , HarmonyOS Subsequent will go away behind the Android Open Supply Mission, and can as an alternative be constructed on Huawei’s customized structure.
The choice comes with some vital penalties. After shedding help for Google apps a couple of years in the past because of financial sanctions, Huawei gadgets will now lose help for Android apps altogether. An enormous profit to utilizing the Android Open Supply Mission is compatibility with Android apps. Builders can tweak the AOSP as they see match, however nonetheless profit from the exhaustive listing of apps constructed on AOSP structure.
As excessive examples, each the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1 are constructed on the AOSP structure. They’re not Android gadgets within the standard sense, however they use the AOSP codebase. Which means they’re technically suitable with Android apps. It’s how tinkerers had been capable of crack the Rabbit R1 and cargo up Android launchers and apps on the gadget with no translation, emulation, or different excessive efforts required.
Since HarmonyOS is constructed on AOSP, it may obtain and set up Android apps. That can change when HarmonyOS Subsequent releases with Huawei’s customized structure. Builders will should be ported to the Hongmeng kernel and system, in accordance with GizmoChina. This course of has been underway since 2023, but it surely’s unclear what number of apps can be found on HarmonyOS Subsequent proper now. The corporate says that well-liked apps Taobao, Yiche, and Bilibili are all operating natively on the platform.
The transfer may work in China, as many apps are consolidated and provide many capabilities in the identical place. For instance, WeChat is the world’s largest standalone cellular app and serves as a messaging service, social media platform, and cellular funds supplier. It’s successfully WhatsApp , Fb/Instagram, and PayPal multi functional — if we’re evaluating WeChat to its Western equivalents. So, if Huawei received a handful of core apps on HarmonyOS Subsequent, it may very well be profitable even with out Android app help.
As a consequence of sanctions from the U.S. and different governments, Huawei telephones haven’t been a viable consideration for most individuals outdoors of China for years. That turns into much more true now that Android apps might be left behind fully when HarmonyOS Subsequent launches.
Nonetheless, it’s not prepared but. Huawei says that HarmonyOS Subsequent is presently within the beta testing stage and is searching for roughly 3,000 builders and beta testers. It’s been a gradual and regular growth course of for HarmonyOS Subsequent, and that‘s unsurprising. This might be a big Huawei and comes with a whole lot of threat.
(Picture credit score: Huawei)
Trying on the broader circumstances Huawei is dealing with, the transfer to construct HarmonyOS by itself structure over the Android Open Supply Mission truly makes a whole lot of sense. The aforementioned sanctions have restricted Huawei’s means to supply gear wanted to create cutting-edge processors. Semiconductor Manufacturing Worldwide Company (SMIC) , which designs and fabricates Huawei chips, can’t import gear because of U.S. sanctions and treaties with different nations.
One thing referred to as an Excessive Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV) machine permits chipmakers to supply sooner and higher chips than they might utilizing older Deep Ultraviolet Lithography (DUV) gear. That‘s why Huawei’s newest smartphone chip was made utilizing the 7nm course of, whereas Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Firm (TSMC) has already developed cellular chips utilizing the 3nm course of.
There are experiences that SMIC could possibly make 5nm chips utilizing the DUV gear it has, although it could be pricey and inefficient. Both approach, Huawei‘s chips would nonetheless be behind the competitors.
Shifting to a customized HarmonyOS Subsequent model constructed by itself structure may improve effectivity and take advantage of out of its meager microprocessors. In truth, that’s precisely what Huawei is hoping for. The corporate says HarmonyOS Subsequent will deliver 30% sooner efficiency total and a 20% decrease energy draw. Ditching AOSP, then, may very well be a superb factor. If Huawei can ship top-notch efficiency utilizing HarmonyOS Subsequent and get essential builders onboard, Huawei customers in China may not miss Android apps.
Nonetheless, this resolution highlights the difficulties Huawei has confronted because it was sanctioned massively by the U.S. authorities and others. If the corporate had entry to state-of-the-art gear, worldwide gross sales, and Google apps, maybe it wouldn’t want to maneuver away from the Android Open Supply Mission. Nonetheless, when you think about what Huawei’s choices are, selecting aggressive total efficiency and battery life over expanded app help could be the proper transfer.
