Huawei to launch 1st HarmonyOS-powered PCs on May 19

Tech giant Huawei Technologies officially launched personal computers powered by its self-developed operating system HarmonyOS at an event in Shenzhen yesterday, a significant breakthrough for China’s domestic operating systems in the personal computer market.

Huawei introduces PCs pwoered by its self-developed operating system HarmonyOS in Shenzhen today. Photos from WeChat account “晶报”

The highly anticipated operating system was unveiled at the HarmonyOS Computer Technology and Ecosystem Communication Conference, where Huawei also announced that its first HarmonyOS PC model will hit the market May 19.  

This move comes as Huawei intensifies efforts to reduce its dependence on Microsoft’s Windows operating system. Microsoft’s supply license to Huawei expired in March, meaning the Chinese firm can no longer ship new laptops pre-installed with Windows unless an extension is granted. 

As Huawei is listed on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List, Microsoft must obtain an export license from the commerce department to renew its Windows license with the Shenzhen-based giant. 

Huawei’s fully homegrown HarmonyOS is an open-source operating system designed for various devices and scenarios, including intelligent screens, tablets, wearables and cars. It was first launched in August 2019.

Zhu Dongdong, president of tablet and PC product line at Huawei device business group, presents key features of the company’s first HarmonyOS-powered PC during the HarmonyOS Computer Technology and Ecosystem Communication Conference in Shenzhen yesterday.

At the meeting, Zhu Dongdong, president of tablet and PC product line at Huawei device business group, said that over the course of five years, more than 10,000 engineers from over 20 research institutes have collaborated to develop computers powered by the HarmonyOS operating system. The operating system has been rebuilt from the kernel upward and incorporates more than 2,700 core patents, ensuring a robust foundation for PC computing.

Zhu said Huawei’s move aims to redefine the future of computing with a secure, intelligent and interconnected experience. 

HarmonyOS, initiated in 2015 and officially released in 2019, has made rapid strides, achieving in less than a decade what took competitors decades to develop. 

As of 2024, HarmonyOS boasted more than 20,000 native applications, a developer community exceeding 7.2 million, and an ecosystem supporting more than 1 billion connected devices. These achievements lay a solid foundation for Huawei’s vision of a fully autonomous PC ecosystem, independent of Western technology suppliers.

For decades, the global PC operating system market has been dominated by Microsoft's Windows and Apple's macOS, with domestic alternatives primarily relying on Linux-based adaptations.

Huawei’s HarmonyOS PC represents a bold push to redefine computing in China and chart a new course for the nation’s technology self-reliance, according to China Reform Securities.