Huawei launches new operating system, says it can ‘immediately’ switch from Android if needed

CNBC ^ | 08/09/2019 | Arjun Kharpal

[SeekAndFind]

DONGGUAN, China — Huawei has launched its own operating system — the HongmengOS, known in English as the HarmonyOS, said the CEO of the Chinese tech giant’s consumer division, Richard Yu, on Friday.

Speaking at the Huawei Developer Conference in the Chinese city of Dongguan, Yu said the operating system can be used across different devices from smartphones to smart speakers and even sensors. It’s part of Huawei’s play in the so-called Internet of Things, which refers to devices connected to the internet.

HarmonyOS will first be used on “smart screen products,” such as televisions, later this year. Over the next three years, the operating system will be used in other devices, including wearables and car head units.

Huawei said the OS will initially launch in China with plans to expand it globally, Yu said.

The United States placed Huawei on a blacklist — or the so-called Entity List — in May, which essentially restricts some U.S. companies from selling their products to the Chinese tech giant.

Following that move, Google said it suspended business activity with Huawei. But days later, the U.S. government eased some of those restrictions, and allowed Google to work with Huawei for 90 days. That timeline is almost up.

The Chinese telecom equipment maker has previously acknowledged publicly that it had its own operating system in the works.

Yu said the situation in regards to whether they can use Android is still “unclear” but that existing products that have been sold with Google’s OS won’t be affected by any ban.

“We are waiting on an update,” Yu said during a press conference after the launch.

[SeekAndFind]

In before someone asks if this OS has spyware embedded in it :)

[SeekAndFind]

FOR DEVELOPERS OUT THERE ...

HarmonyOS is open-source, which means that other device-makers could theoretically use its operating system. Making it open-source could help the OS increase its scale and attract more developers to make apps for it. Having a large number of useful apps is important for any OS to be successful.

[MadLibDisease]

I have a Chinese made ZTE, worst phone ever. Our military is prohibited from using ZTE phones because yes, the Chinese placed chips used to spy in them. The military views the phones as a security risk

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Our military is prohibited from using ZTE phones because yes, the Chinese placed chips used to spy in them

Has this actually been proven through testing?

[heshtesh]

I can’t believe how high my expectations are for this new Chinese OS,HONESTY,INTEGRITY,QUALITY and “sincerity” all in one package.

Who would have thought?//////////

[Zhang Fei]

[Has this actually been proven through testing?]

---

IMHO, it’s not so much the chips - although that’s one avenue of entry - as what happens when it phones home to a server in China to do a firmware update. Basically, you have to trust the manufacturer not to include malware/spyware in that update. With Chinese companies, who knows? I’m not particularly enamored of Apple products but that is one area (along with other non-Chinese Android phone makers) where they have a leg up over any phone manufacturer with corporate headquarters in China - the Chinese government can’t toss the CEO in prison for not letting it insert malware into the company’s firmware updates.

[Wilhelm Tell]

More like, the OS is spyware.

[Zhang Fei]

https://www.cyberscoop.com/android-malware-china-huawei-zte-kryptowire-blu-products/

[SeekAndFind]

Thanks for the source.

[House Atreides]

The HongmengOS Was known by the code name WeegotchaOS during development. /s

[catnipman]

the OS is easy: the ecosystem for hundreds of thousands of quality apps is hard; just ask Microsoft how well their app store worked for their Windows Phone or even for their cell-phone app subsystem for Windows 10 ...

[VeniVidiVici]

FOR DEVELOPERS OUT THERE ... HarmonyOS is open-source, which means that other device-makers could theoretically use its operating system. Making it open-source could help the OS increase its scale and attract more developers to make apps for it. Having a large number of useful apps is important for any OS to be successful.

LOL! Whew! I know that will make me feel better. I'll run right out and buy a Huawei piece of hardware right now! I'm sure there won't be any hidden back doors anywhere!

[trebb]

Yep - named “HarmonyOS” because you become a “blind date” to the company’s spies and hackers....

[servantboy777]

I’ve worked in the tech industry for 3 1/3 decades...avoid hardware from Huawei.