Sharing the vast opportunities of the era of intelligent connectivity of everything with HarmonyOS NEXT is not only an invitation from HarmonyOS NEXT, but also an invitation from the times.

Looking back on every technological revolution in history, almost all scientific and technological achievements eventually entered social life comprehensively, relying on the persistence and release of a few pioneers.

From various household appliances in the era of electrification to various application software emerging in the mobile internet era, and then to the Internet of Everything in today's AIoT era, all of them are the same.

However, in the process of technological evolution, regardless of how dramatically the carrying mode of terminals has changed, the business logic of "people-centered" has always been deeply rooted. This is precisely the key to Huawei's "ten years of grinding a sword" to launch the fully self-developed HarmonyOS and various new products across scenarios.

On October 22, at the "Native HarmonyOS Night and Huawei Full-Scenario New Product Launch Event", Huawei officially brought users a brand-new native HarmonyOS (HarmonyOS NEXT). Native HarmonyOS is also known as Pure HarmonyOS or HarmonyOS NEXT, abbreviated as HarmonyOS NEXT. HarmonyOS NEXT is the biggest upgrade since the birth of HarmonyOS, and it opens up a new world of HarmonyOS for us.

To put it mildly, disruptive innovations at the operating system level like HarmonyOS NEXT are a new choice for manufacturers and developers; to put it broadly, promoting the experience of "sailing directly into the sea" may bring an opportunity to open a new cycle for many industries, including internet technology.

"Root Innovation" Leads to "Living Water"

Yes, we must admit one thing: we have been stagnant in an industrial cycle for a long time.

On the one hand, people are surrounded by various smart devices and smart services, enjoying the comfort and convenience they bring; on the other hand, the forms of many technology products and services are becoming increasingly rigid, and manufacturers and developers are engaged in homogenized battles in their respective fields.

Facing the future where "everything can be smart", what expectations can we still hold? If the key to supporting these experience upgrades lies in the underlying infrastructure system, then what hurdles must manufacturers overcome to reshape this capability? And can they benefit and expand their "ecosystem" through endogenous externalization in the future? And so on.

This is also a question many people ask: Why is Huawei willing to invest so much in continuously exploring full-scenario smart operating systems, in addition to its layout in large models and AI-native applications?

By carefully reviewing Huawei's products and services that have been released relatively intensively in recent times, we may find the answer behind it: Huawei wants to do "root innovation" - based on the new HarmonyOS NEXT and the next-generation terminal applications developed to match it, further unleashing the full-scenario technological potential and journeying with developers towards the stars.

At the Foundation Layer - For developers, the stability and high elasticity of the operating system are crucial, as they form the most basic foundation for development, especially after HarmonyOS NEXT becomes fully independent, this need becomes even more prominent.

To build and share an independent and cutting-edge operating system with numerous partners and developers, it is essential to meet their multi-level needs in a timely and adequate manner. To date, HarmonyOS has amassed over 110 million lines of code, and some native applications have been iterated almost daily.

At the Security Layer - In addition to solid foundational support, the protection of privacy and application security are another critical demand for developers, especially in today's increasingly challenging environment where system security capabilities have long been elevated to a core competitiveness. This has given rise to the StarShield security architecture, which relies on powerful hardware-software collaboration capabilities and the HarmonyOS kernel to construct a new security system and order.

By redefining the rules for applications to access private data, HarmonyOS NEXT prohibits the reading of installed app lists, access to SMS, and other unreasonable permissions in nine categories, thereby preventing privacy leaks at the source. Additionally, it introduces a revamped security access mechanism for seven high-frequency scenarios, including the gallery, camera, contacts, and location, achieving a transition from "permission management" to "data management."

At the Ecosystem Layer - New technologies signify new opportunities. HarmonyOS's distributed characteristics, among others, are providing developers with more commercial imagination. Meanwhile, a positive community atmosphere, continuously iterated development tools, and gradually lowered development thresholds are expected to help them advance their commercialization process.

Multi-device deployment, native interconnectivity, native intelligence, native security, and the full-scenario capabilities consistently emphasized by HarmonyOS NEXT have made ecosystem invocation more efficient and convenient, driving positive feedback from an increasing number of developers within the native HarmonyOS ecosystem. Since the beta testing of native HarmonyOS began, over 1 million suggestions and feedback have been received.

A Dream Under the Rice Fields: Who Will Cultivate the Soil?

The pursuit of technological advancement and ecosystem expansion.

To date, the HarmonyOS NEXT app store boasts over 15,000 native HarmonyOS apps and meta-services, comprehensively covering 18 major domains and fulfilling 99.9% of users' time spent using apps. These include national-level apps such as DingTalk, WeChat, Baidu, JD.com, Meituan, and Xiaohongshu.

Taking the collaboration between HarmonyOS NEXT and DingTalk as an example.

Through deep integration, the native HarmonyOS version of DingTalk leverages the native intelligence and full-scenario advantages of HarmonyOS NEXT to support innovative experiences such as quick entry into meetings with Xiaoyi and cross-device continuation of meetings. Additionally, users can accelerate the development process and enhance application performance through tools like the Bisheng Compiler and AI-assisted UI generation.

For Huawei, the collaboration with DingTalk not only enriches HarmonyOS's application in the critical office scenario but also fosters more joint innovations in distributed technologies and one-time development for multi-device deployment through mutual support. Furthermore, both parties can engage in deeper cooperation in industrial innovation and business development in the future.

Moreover, Xiaohongshu has completed the full-version development of its native HarmonyOS app, adding new features such as a system-level minor mode, direct scanning to access services, AI image cutout, consistent photography, HDR Vivid, and Moving Photo. Meituan has redesigned the cycling experience, offering functions like one-step scanning to unlock and direct bike return while the screen is locked.

At the Native HarmonyOS Night launch event, it was evident that the HarmonyOS ecosystem being discussed today is not just a replacement for an operating system but a clear industrial trend and even a tangible future state.

Beyond the well-known unique features of HarmonyOS, such as the distributed soft bus and atomic services, the intelligent and lightweight interaction changes (e.g., the light app form "meta-service" born within the HarmonyOS ecosystem) still have vast untapped potential for both developers and Huawei itself.

After a decade of continuous investment, the HarmonyOS ecosystem has become a digital foundation with over 1 billion HarmonyOS-enabled devices and 6.75 million registered developers. This not only makes it the most vibrant "black soil" for application innovation but also reduces development costs for every participant in the ecosystem.

For the development and promotion of the native HarmonyOS version of DingTalk, President Ye Jun holds great expectations. He has mentioned on multiple occasions in public that "we hope to have the opportunity to deconstruct DingTalk and rebuild it on the foundation of the new native HarmonyOS operating system, aiming to create a unique version of DingTalk."

Of course, it's not just DingTalk. Apps like Meituan, JD.com, Xiaohongshu, and many others are creating unique experiences for users on the HarmonyOS NEXT platform. With millions of apps aspiring to "dream under the rice fields," the HarmonyOS ecosystem is willing to be that fertile soil.

A New Industrial Consensus May Have Been Reached

Alongside the "ecosystem construction" of HarmonyOS, another frequently mentioned term is "openness": because the future prosperity will not only be limited to mobile apps but will encompass applications on multiple terminal devices, necessitating industrial collaboration and joint development.

Huawei's Deputy Chairman and Rotating Chairman Xu Zhijun mentioned at the "HarmonyOS Thousand Sails Battle Mobilization Conference" held on September 25 that HarmonyOS can only be considered a true mobile operating system if it possesses its own ecosystem, allowing for the coordination of applications, operating systems, and chips to continuously enhance the user experience and security.

In the process of building the HarmonyOS ecosystem, Huawei has worked closely with tens of thousands of application partners, investing significant research and development resources to jointly create a full-scenario smart operating system for the intelligent connectivity of everything, providing consumers with a smoother, smarter, and safer full-scenario experience.

Huawei's Executive Director, Chairman of the Terminal BG, and Chairman of the Intelligent Automobile Solutions BU, Yu Chengdong, further stated at the Native HarmonyOS Night event, "HarmonyOS NEXT is a burgeoning new life form with a promising future, and its growth cannot be separated from the continuous support of our partners, developers, and users. The starry sky is resplendent, and everything is renewed. Let's take a new step forward! Huawei looks forward to continuing to work with all parties to jointly build and share the new world of HarmonyOS."

As the core of the system, the operating system needs to "lift up" the needs of digital and intellectual transformation across society and even propel different industries into global competition. It is essential to reach a consensus early in the gestation period of new species. Undoubtedly, HarmonyOS NEXT, which has cultivated a black soil in uncharted territories, embodies this.

Real market data speaks the loudest. In the first half of 2024, HarmonyOS's market share in China increased to 17.2%, representing a year-on-year growth of 66.7%, surpassing iOS and ranking second only to Android.

From its inception a decade ago, through the preheating a year ago, to its market entry today, it seems that "accumulating strength for a sudden burst" best describes HarmonyOS NEXT. Especially in the past year, the HarmonyOS ecosystem has been rapidly improving with astonishing efficiency, naturally sowing the seeds for commercial advancement.

From the perspective of hardware-software collaboration and connectivity, whether developers are willing to join the HarmonyOS ecosystem will directly determine whether they can tap into the commercial space of 1 billion devices within the broader ecosystem and secure a ticket to participate in the era of intelligent connectivity of everything. This is a critical opportunity for developers not to miss.

For HarmonyOS NEXT, a vibrant industrial landscape can also accelerate the integration of underlying infrastructure with socio-economic entities, fully unleashing the commercial value and development potential of the operating system. While using technological power to open doors for various industries, HarmonyOS NEXT itself has become an indispensable new driving force for the development of the times.

Final Thoughts

In a way, developing an operating system is akin to the growth process of bamboo: during its early stages, most of its energy is invested in extending its roots, resulting in only 3-4 cm of growth per year in the initial years. However, once the roots are firmly established, from the fourth or fifth year onward, it grows at a remarkable rate of over 30 cm per day, maintaining its upright posture even in the face of wind and rain.

The same can be said of HarmonyOS NEXT.

Although HarmonyOS NEXT is still in its early stages of development, developers who wish to embrace the future with greater ease may consider aligning themselves with HarmonyOS NEXT, seizing the moment and capitalizing on the vast opportunities presented by the era of intelligent connectivity of everything. This is not just an invitation from HarmonyOS NEXT but also from the times themselves.