Knowledge in Huawei
Huawei registers the Harmony name for its own OS in Europe
Visit Tech AedgarFile with Hongmeng and ArkAs Huawei continues to deal with uncertainty over its future US relations and its access to the Android and Windows operating systems, it's been busy working on in-house OS replacements to plug potential gaps – and a new name for them just surfaced.Huawei has registered the name "Harmony" with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, reports LetsGoDigital, which may end up being the name of the software used on Huawei phones and laptops in the future.The application mentions both "mobile operating systems" and "computer operating systems", so it sounds like an all-encompassing software platform – or at least one that shares the same name.ile this alongside other names we've heard for Huawei's own-brand OS, including Hongmeng and Ark. It's possible that Huawei might use different labels in different regions if its access to Android and Windows gets cut.The story so farBesides the actual Harmony name, the trademark application doesn't reveal too much else about what Huawei is plotting. We do know that these operating system projects have been in the pipeline for several years, but friction with the US means they might be needed more urgently.While the Trump administration has made noisesabout a friendlier relationship with Huawei in the future – at least as far as consumer products are concerned – it's still not clear if Huawei will be able to rely on Android and Windows in the years ahead.Of course Huawei would also face the challenging prospect of getting app developers to port their products over to Harmony, Ark, Hongmeng or whatever the new operating systems end up being called.With that in mind, it's no surprise that the company is accelerating efforts to have its own operating systems in place, should the worst happen. No doubt there are plenty more twists and turns in the saga to come.
Manthan Vasani
Huawei says its Hongmeng OS isn’t an Android replacement after all
Huawei says its Hongmeng OS isn’t an Android replacement after all26It’s still unclear what Huawei would do without GoogleBy Sam Byford@345triangle Jul 19, 2019, 3:18am EDTShare this storySHAREPhoto by Vlad Savov / The VergeAfter a torrid few months, Huawei is now downplaying the idea that its homegrown Hongmeng operating system could serve as a drop-in replacement for Google’s Android on its smartphones. SVP Catherine Chen told reporters in Brussels yesterday that Hongmeng is not designed for smartphones and that Huawei plans to continue using Android, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reports.This follows similar comments last week from chairman Liang Hua, who said in comments reported by TechNode that “[Huawei hasn’t] decided yet if the Hongmeng OS can be developed as a smartphone operating system in the future.” Liang says the system was designed as a low-latency solution for IoT devices, while Chen describes it as being “for industrial use.”That’s a shift from Huawei’s previous messaging, which has suggested that the company was prepared to make a switch. “Huawei is in the process of potentially launching a replacement,” communications VP Andrew Williamson told Reuters in June, adding that it’d be ready “in months” in the event of an Android blacklisting. “It’s not something Huawei wants. We’re very happy being part of the Android family, but Hongmeng is being tested, mostly in China.” Consumer division CEO Richard Yu also said earlier this year that Huawei would be ready to use its alternatives.The point may be moot, of course, if the US’ recent easing of trade restrictions on Huawei turn out to affect the company’s ability to deal with Google. But whatever the outcome there, it’s less clear than ever how ready Huawei would be to go it alone.
Sahil Vyas
Huawei Mate X shows off an updated foldable design in hands-on photos
Just this week, Samsung’s first folding smartphone finally got a launch date following serious issues with its design. Now, Huawei’s folding smartphone, the Mate X, has quietly been given a design update which is shown off in some new hands-on photos.A Chinese journalist by the name of Li Wei ran into Huawei’s CEO, Richard Yu, while at an airport and Yu happened to be using the Mate X at the time (via XDA-Developers). Wei was able to snap some photos of the Mate X while speaking with Yu, and it shows off a handful of design updates that Huawei has recently made.The most obvious change in this latest update is the carbon fiber look that can be seen around the camera sensors and the hinge. While it’s not clear whether or not this carbon fiber is just a faux material for looks, it seems possible Huawei could be including the real deal given the price of the Mate X.Further, there’s also a fourth camera sensor which is clearly visible along the back. The Mate X which Huawei showed off a few months ago only showed three cameras, but the company’s website confirms there is a fourth sensor which is a Time-of-Flight depth sensor. The button which Huawei uses to unfold the Mate X has also been changed with this design update, now showing a larger overall size and a red accent in the center.Unfortunately, these pictures don’t tell us anything about the OLED display and whether or not Huawei has improved that aspect of the phone. Many still have durability concerns, as well as worries about the “crease” in the center of the display and whether or not Huawei has managed to minimize that.Huawei previously announced that it had delayed the Mate X to later this year, and Richard Yu further confirmed that here. The device should be launching at some point in September.