In 2021 we will probably see the arrival of Harmony OS and it will also be available to other manufacturers without Google services. The Chinese manufacturer had to run to accelerate its own operating system after the US administration only increased the scale of its commercial attack and blockade on the Chinese manufacturer.
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Without access to Google services, Huawei devices have been at a disadvantage to other Android phones, having to resort to shortcuts or even external apps to deliver a similar experience.
Harmony OS will be available to other manufacturers without Google services
However, Huawei appears to have plans for Harmony OS, beyond being a near-mandatory response to the US blockade. The Chinese company has announced its intention to offer its operating system to any other Android smartphone manufacturers that do not have access to Google services.
Richard Yu, president of the company, clarified that the company designed its operating system as an alternative for any other operator, present or future, that finds itself in the same situation as them. It is also an alternative for many national manufacturers who have been blocked from bringing their devices to the West because they do not have access to Google’s services.
Huawei also stated that it designed Harmony OS to work hand in hand with a large number of processors and they want to maintain an open-source policy, even if Huawei ultimately prefers to keep control of updates and their long-term evolution.
The release of Harmony OS in the West is the most important step in creating an independent Huawei ecosystem. A major challenge is to see the success of non-GSM devices outside of China (which is one of the few markets not dependent on Google services).
The company launched the first beta for Harmony OS developers on December 16 and is planning to upgrade all its devices (on a voluntary basis) to its new operating system. The company said it plans to start this transition this year, but at the moment there is no confirmed date for this.