On January 18, Huawei will host a big event in China, during which they will present a new generation of the HarmonyOS operating system.. It is called HarmonyOS NEXT, and its main feature will be complete independence: it will not contain a single line of Android code.
As you know, the current HarmonyOS 4, like its previous versions, is based on AOSP – open source Android. For example, HarmonyOS 4 is detected in Huawei Mate 60 Pro as Android 12. But this will not happen with HarmonyOS NEXT: it will be built on the Harmony (Hongmeng) core and will only be compatible with applications specially written for it. If you try to run an APK file on a device running HarmonyOS NEXT, the system reports that the file cannot be opened.
In China, Huawei's solution has created great demand for programmers writing applications for HarmonyOS and familiar with its architecture. Because if previously a software developer could limit himself to one application for Android and HarmonyOS, now this will be impossible. 400 software companies in China (navigation apps, travel apps, finance apps, games, etc.) have started developing software specifically for HarmonyOS NEXT.
HarmonyOS will become the second largest mobile operating system in China after Android in 2024, according to research organization TechInsights.. That is, HarmonyOS should surpass iOS in market share.