Everyone is aware of what Huawei is and what conundrums it has been under. It is an independent brand in the market especially in terms of operating systems, camera technology, and the like. But Android holds the undisputed position in having its operating system used by a vast majority of brands around the globe, and it unfortunately no longer supports Huawei.
But Huawei did something of its own to make an operating system which it aims to not only help support its devices but also sustain on a large scale too. Presenting Harmony OS. It is Huawei’s own patented operating system.
Both Android and Huawei have been working hard ever since to provide users better experience and satisfaction. Let us now explore Huawei’s Harmony OS with brief comparisons with Android to see how it fares and how its features are.
Of Huawei’s Harmony OS and Android – a brief comparison
The security aspect
Huawei needs to compete with Apple Inc and Samsung, and it set its sight on topping the local PRC market. At the other end, it slowed down the growth of iPhone production to grab the position of the third largest smartphone producer in the Chinese market.
Huawei’s growth slowed down further after the ban by the United States over its links to CCP. After that it lost support from Android and having a handful of apps built by TomTom of The Netherlands was not making the mark. THis is the reason it created the Harmony OS. It may need time to be on track.
Android phones have a level of security but modifications by certain firms have made the phones vulnerable (Xiaomi, RealMe, Redmi, Infinix). Availability of Stock Android OS is possible in Lenovo, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia and other renowned phones.
Huawei HarmonyOS offers optimized performance and a user-friendly experience. It also promises good security. Apart from storing data, it protects it in a reliable and secure cloud storage system (Harmony Cloud). THough Android offers a mch more user-friendly interface and settings, HarmonyOS has a lot of catching up to do.
Software updates
Samsung rolls out really quick updates thanks to stock Android present. It also ensures each thing is in line with Google’s own security updates. Motorola and Lenovo have been following suit.
Unfortunately, Huawei has not been as quick as both Samsung and Google, especially in terms of HarmonyOS. Since it is only working in a small number of countries, it has to speed up in fixing bugs to provide seamless updates. The OS is struggling with quality assurance and has not been able to provide the needed seamless security updates.
Any new projects?
Android 13 is stable and has been released already. HarmonyOS version 2 is running currently and is way behind Android. HarmonyOS 3 is still in the beta phase and is yet to be stable. It has not been released for all Huawei devices and will be rolled out in batches. Though the company hopes to catch up, experts from a mobile app development company in Dubai see it the other way.
Google covers more devices than Huawei and Huawei has entered the exclusivity zone like Apple. It hence needs to work even harder to keep standing.
What more to understand about HarmonyOS?
The global economy is currently in a slowdown and smartphone sales will be affected. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is overturning Russia in every avenue and the Chinese economy is seeing a massive loss of manufacturing jobs and growth going to ASEAN countries plus Taiwan, Europe, United States, Latin America and Africa improving their manufacturing and industries.
Experts are not convinced by Huawei’s Harmony OS. It is only working in China and other countries where Huawei has a following but it is only succeeding in China. Its global performance is slow and other brands have outwitted Huawei in every possible way.
THere are countries (like Pakistan, Lebanon, Syria and Sri Lanka) facing a shortage of inventory and they are relying on other vendors to supply them with Android phones. With anti-Chinese sentiments high in Lebanon and Sri Lanka, Huawei is running out of favor there. Moreover, Motorola and Lenovo plus ASUS and Lava are making good sales in Sri Lanka, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.
ANdroid has outmatched HarmonyOS and has obtained more than 80% of the market share. Apple’s iOS is banking on its exclusivity factor and lack of features is seeing it getting pegged to Samsung, Lenovo, Motorola and ASUS. The latter companies not only have phones in multiple pricing segments but also are leading the way in innovative technologies.
Conclusion
Despite its robust demonstrations, Huawei’s HarmonyOS is not up to the mark. It has a lot of homework to do as Android is still leading the way with additional integrations with both WIndows and Linux. Moreover, Android is also incentivizing companies to add stock Android OS to ensure phones and tablets run properly.