After so many years of waiting, it has finally come. HarmonyOS NEXT has gone through numerous doubts and obstacles, but Huawei has overcome all difficulties one by one and opened public testing as soon as possible. Just half a month later (yesterday), the official version of the new system was launched. Such execution and efficiency are unparalleled by any competitors. Of course, although the start is good, the biggest factor determining the future of HarmonyOS NEXT lies in its experience and ecosystem. Now that the official version is here, let's talk about it together.

First and foremost, this is a system with entirely self-developed underlying code and architecture. There is no doubt about this. Its incompatibility with Android systems means that it must build its own ecosystem from scratch. Accomplishing this is no less difficult than developing the system itself and, to some extent, even more important. Huawei officially claims a comprehensive performance improvement, and while a 30% increase in smoothness may be difficult to quantify, since Huawei has officially stated it, the experience is unlikely to be poor.

The official slogan for the NEXT version is "One System, Unified Ecosystem," implying that a single system will connect all hardware products. This is a good thing for both developers and ordinary users. The UI design gives users their first impression of the system, and from the presentation, it seems quite good. Huawei claims to have adopted a new interactive design that fully considers the sense of operation during development, such as button lighting effects and text cards that blend with the background. This applies not only to official apps but also to third-party apps.

The system's live window function allows users to directly use gestures to transform between different forms. In terms of personalization, the NEXT version has undergone significant optimization. For example, the clock can intelligently adapt to the selected wallpaper scene, creating a seamless aesthetic. The lock screen also supports dynamic effects. The NEXT version supports seamless compatibility between different hardware within the same system, enabling cross-device scanning, cross-device gallery access, cross-device clipboard, and in-app video casting.

The NEXT version also supports touch-to-share features for data such as photos, videos, products, and other network data, which can be convenient in certain situations. For example, if you and a friend are sitting together browsing products on your phones, you can easily share a product by simply touching your phones together instead of sharing a link on social media. AI capabilities are also essential, and the NEXT version utilizes Huawei's Pangu large model to create system-level AI, simplifying many tasks.

Privacy and security are crucial factors determining a system's popularity among users. The NEXT version is stricter than Apple's iOS in application authorization management, making it nearly impossible to Disguise and put on shelves like on the App Store. In terms of resource sharing, users can set restrictions to prevent non-designated users from viewing content. The NEXT version also optimizes system resource utilization, reducing memory usage and improving efficiency. Many native system functions have been upgraded with interactive enhancements.

Although the official version has been released, there are still limited compatible devices available. Widespread adoption may not occur until next year.