Key Highlights:

Huawei shipped more than 103 million phones and 21 million tablets running HarmonyOS.

It introduced its initial laptops with HarmonyOS 5 in May 2025, a significant leap towards software independence.

Key Background :

Huawei first tested HarmonyOS in 2019 when the United States banned Huawei from accessing American technologies such as Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows. Huawei promptly created HarmonyOS, first as an operating system replacement for Internet of Things devices and smart TVs, before it was used on tablets and smartphones in 2021.

Ever since its release, HarmonyOS has been designed as a distributed operating system that can exist and function together across different devices. This is an innovation of Huawei's vision for an integrated ecosystem where the user experiences the same end-to-end smooth performance and design irrespective of the device he is using.

As of December 2024, more than 103 million HarmonyOS phones and 21 million tablets were shipped via Huawei, testament to the astounding local appetite, particularly in China. The OS continued to drive a huge amount of Huawei devices, ranging from wearables, audio, to smart home. Its latest version release of HarmonyOS 5 laptops was the most daring move so far by the company, bringing the OS into the PC realm for the first time.

MateBook Pro and MateBook Fold are the hardware-software combination Huawei is attempting to create. Inside chipsets and AI capabilities, these devices mark a move away from dependency computing. The change, however, analysts contend, is a watershed moment for Huawei, positioning the company to challenge established platforms such as Windows and macOS—albeit within its native market.

This aside, Huawei is still handicapped due to limitations due to a relatively underdeveloped app ecosystem. The majority of dominant global software platforms are not natively supported. Huawei is growing the pool of developers at present with dedicated SDKs and support frameworks. Huawei is attempting to close the software gap by end-2025, setting the stage for competitiveness on the global stage.

And with HarmonyOS, Huawei is literally repackaging its tech identity—to total independence and creating its own independent digital ecosystem to serve Chinese innovation.