Huawei insists HarmonyOS is not a copy of Android or iOS

For years, the mobile landscape pretty much played home to two major operating systems – Android and iOS. While there have been attempts by others to introduce an alternative, most of them have fallen flat and have faded into obscurity, but Huawei is expected to challenge the status quo with its upcoming HarmonyOS.

Now, based on screenshots that have been published, some have likened HarmonyOS to Android, which does have some merits and we can’t blame Huawei for trying to mimic an already-established platform, but the company is insisting that it is not a copy of either Android or iOS, and that it is meant to be a platform used for broader purposes like the Internet of Things.

Speaking to reporters, Wang Chenglu, president of Huawei’s consumer software division said that HarmonyOS (also known as HongmengOS in China) has been in development since 2016, way before the drama between Huawei and the US government began. Wang also points out that HarmonyOS will provide broad “panoramic” opportunities not just for smartphones, unlike platforms like iOS.

Of course, it remains to be seen if Huawei will have what it takes to challenge already-established platforms, but the company is forging ahead with their plans, with a report from 2020 saying that Huawei will start bringing HarmonyOS to its smartphones.

Source: GizChina