In a recent video announcement, Richard Yu, Huawei's Executive Director and head of Device BG and Intelligent Automotive Solutions BU, revealed that the first smartphone equipped with the official version of native HarmonyOS is set to launch next week.
Yu highlighted that since the internal testing of native HarmonyOS began last October, the team has received over 4 million suggestions for optimization. The operating system has undergone more than 30 iterations, introducing over 150 new features. Currently, there are over 20,000 native HarmonyOS apps and meta-services available, including popular platforms like WeChat, Douyin (TikTok), Alipay, Amap, and JD.com. Notably, more than 20 apps have surpassed 2 million downloads each.
Yu underscored the transformative user experience promised by the official version of native HarmonyOS, noting significant improvements in system smoothness and enhanced privacy protections. The new Xiaoyi AI assistant, powered by Pangu and DeepSeek dual models, excels at handling complex reasoning tasks with greater efficiency and intelligence. Additionally, Xiaoyi offers more nuanced emotional interactions, enhancing user engagement.
Previously, on February 24, Yu hinted that Huawei would unveil its first "new form smartphone" designed specifically for native HarmonyOS in March. This innovative device represents a breakthrough in hardware, software, and ecosystem integration, offering users an entirely new experience. Yu also mentioned the collaborative efforts of ecosystem partners such as Tencent, Alibaba, ByteDance, and Meituan in elevating the application experience.