HarmonyOS: what it is and how it works

The desire to innovate has never failed HUAWEI, and even in the most “turbulent” moments, the Shenzen-based company has always found a way to launch innovative solutions capable of surprising its users. So here comes the announcement of the launch of HarmonyOS 2, a completely new operating system that aims to unify the experience among all devices – smartphones, tablets, but also smart watches, monitors and even household appliances – allowing the latter to interact with each other in a natural way, speaking the same “language”.

Without getting too technical, we can say that HarmonyOS is an operating system that intelligently adapts to the device on which it is run, ensuring a unified and seamless experience in which the user can interact with all his devices freely, by switching information from one side to the other naturally. To give a practical example, you can copy a file from your computer to your HUAWEI tablet by simply selecting it with the mouse on the PC and dragging it to the screen of the mobile device; all without installing additional apps. In fact, HarmonyOS allows apps to work on different devices without being installed individually on each of them: all functions will be available when and where needed without having duplicates.

This approach also facilitates the work of developers, who can thus create their apps without having to rewrite them for each device: an app designed for HarmonyOS will be able to work without any problem on all devices, precisely because the operating system is unique and does not change from device to device. Interesting, right? Then read on – find out more about HarmonyOS, its innovative features and the devices it can run on below. Good continuation!

Index

• What is HarmonyOS
• How HarmonyOS works
• HarmonyOS compatible devices

What is HarmonyOS

In recent months there has been a lot of confusion around HarmonyOS, and there has been no shortage of hasty judgments by people who have branded the new HUAWEI operating system as a simple Android “clone” created solely to respond to the well-known events of the US ban: nothing more wrong!

The general situation certainly accelerated the development of HarmonyOS, but in reality HUAWEI started working on its new operating system as early as 2016, long before the US ban. In short, it is a solution based on a precise vision and not on a need of the moment.

The vision behind it is, as previously mentioned, the one that leads to a unique experience across multiple devices. According to the current scheme, each device uses its own operating system, and this leads many users to have difficulties in transferring data and experiences from one device to another.

True, there are cloud services that, thanks to the Internet, facilitate the synchronization of data on multiple devices, but these still require the installation of an app on each device, thus creating a “friction” that often discourages less users. experts.

HUAWEI therefore wanted to rethink everything at the base, realizing, in HarmonyOS, its 1 + 8 + N vision, where “1” represents the smartphone, “8” represents all the other products linked to the ecosystem and N the experiences that HUAWEI creates ( often in collaboration with important partners) related to artificial intelligence, solutions for cars, maps, video games and more.

So how does HarmonyOS work? How does it fit every device? On smartphones and tablets is it really linked in some way to Android or is it a completely new platform? We try to answer, proceeding in order.

Without getting too technical, at the heart of HarmonyOS is the concept of distributed technology in which a distributed virtual bus operates at virtually the same level as a physical hardware bus. Put simply, this means that the various devices can function as if they were physically connected at the system level: thanks to this connection, it is possible to combine previously independent devices together in a cohesive and holistic Super Device.

Even the management of data is distributed and files stored on a device can be used on another device in a natural way, without having to install additional programs; all this, then, in an extremely safe way, since HUAWEI has designed its new operating system thinking first of all of users’ privacy and security, improving the already very high standards of EMUI.

HarmonyOS manages user data based on categories and protects devices based on specific levels, setting particular security thresholds for Super Devices: in this way, only devices that meet strict security requirements can access the data corresponding to the their security level. Even apps designed for HarmonyOS are subject to very strict controls before being approved.

HarmonyOS can really run anywhere, from smart appliances to tablets. To be precise, the system is designed to work on devices with a minimum of 128 KB of RAM (kitchens, TVs and all kinds of smart appliances) and on more powerful devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Precisely in this regard, it is important to underline that this operating system is not a simple fork of Android but is based on different components and projects that HUAWEI has used to create a whole new platform.

HUAWEI made use of several open source projects (therefore freely usable and modifiable), including the open version of Android, to build a whole new system. We can therefore think of HarmonyOS as a very advanced “puzzle” of open source projects that HUAWEI has refined and modified in order to create an innavitva experience for users.

At the base, Harmony uses different kernels, which are used intelligently according to the device on which the operating system is run: on smartphones and tablets, for example, the Linux kernel (which is also the basis of Android) is used, while on wearable devices LiteOS is used.

HUAWEI has modified the kernels in question by removing the unnecessary parts and implementing a lot of new software, both “under the hood” – with, for example, all the part relating to seamless communication between the various devices – and outside, designing a intuitive and easy to use user interface for everyone.

As already mentioned, all this represents a turning point also for developers, who can thus write the code only once and create apps that will then be able to “run” on any HarmonyOS device. To be precise, it is possible to create standard applications for the Linux kernel and lite applications for the LiteOS kernel.

And now we come to one of the most frequently asked questions: can we use Android apps on HarmonyOS? The answer is yes. Being (also) based on the open source version of Android, HUAWEI’s new operating system allows you to run common Android apps as well. This means that smartphones and tablets based on HarmonyOS will be able to “run” even the applications that we are used to using today on Android devices.

It goes without saying that applications written specifically for HarmonyOS will benefit from better performance. But it is the entire operating system that guarantees extremely high performance and autonomy. According to what was stated by HUAWEI, a smartphone with HarmonyOS 2 is able to maintain read / write speeds similar to those of a newly purchased phone even after 36 months of use, even when the storage space available on the device is reduced. Furthermore, the optimized RAM consumption allows you to keep more apps open in the background and therefore always have them ready for use and the optimizations of energy consumption guarantee a better battery life compared to Android: HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro, for example, is in able to run Game for Peace Elite for 5.1 hours straight.

How HarmonyOS works

Having made a bit of clarity on what is at the base of HarmonyOS , the time has come to understand how the new HUAWEI operating system actually works. I will give you some practical examples to make you understand how the various devices can communicate with each other and how the user can interact with them seamlessly, that is, without interruptions; But first let me give you a brief overview of what are the key elements of the HarmonyOS experience.

• Control panel. It’s where you can easily manage ecosystem content and devices, transferring data and experiences from one to the other with a simple click or tap. Let’s take a practical example: Do you want to watch a movie at home late at night? Just open the Control Panel, drag the smart screen icon onto the phone icon and the movie will go straight to your phone. If you wear compatible earphones, for example HUAWEI FreeBuds 4, just drag the icon of the earphone onto that of the phone to play the sound on the latter.
• Multi-device Task Center. Among the main advantages of HarmonyOS is the possibility of making apps work on different devices without having to be installed individually on each of them: all functions and services will be available when and where needed without having duplicates. Practical example: are you playing on your smartphone but would you like to have a bigger screen? Simply swipe up and hover to view the Overview screen and transfer the game to your HUAWEI MatePad Pro directly from your smartphone, so you can continue playing on your tablet without having the game physically installed on it.
• ‌HarmonyOS Connect. It is an app that allows non-Huawei products to become part of the ecosystem and connect, for example, smart home devices to a HarmonyOS smartphone. Just think about this: just place your smartphone on a Midea oven and select a recipe to start preparing the chosen dish!

From a user interface point of view, HUAWEI has taken care of everything down to the smallest detail ensuring a unified experience from this point of view as well, with the specially designed HarmonyOS Sans font and natural gravitational animations offering a consistent user experience across all ecosystems devices.

On smartphones and tablets, the HarmonyOS Home is very streamlined and organized, with intuitive gestures that allow you to access many interesting functions. For example, just swipe up on apps to generate widgets or tap any free part of the Home to hide them.

But now we come to the usage scenarios of the HarmonyOS ecosystem, precisely to understand the potential of seamless interaction between the various devices.

• Smart Home scenario: in the house of the future, after waking up thanks to the alarm set on the HUAWEI Watch 3 smartwatch, it is possible to check directly from the wrist the report of the hours of sleep, heartbeats and blood oxygen level (which are monitored in real time). Once awake, while basking a little more under the covers, take your smartphone and command your smart oven, such as the Midea oven, to prepare breakfast. The first part of the morning then continues with reading the latest news on the HUAWEI Matepad 11 tablet , asking for updates to the HUAWEI Assistant and listening to some music with e Sound orRTL 102.5. Then we move on to the list of activities of the day, noting everything in a practical and fast way directly on the tablet, with the second generation HUAWEI M-Pencil pen.
• Smart Office scenario: once you arrive at the office, you turn on your HUAWEI laptop, for example MateBook X Pro, which is already connected to the HUAWEI Matepad Pro tablet with multi-screen collaboration. Thanks to Huawei Share, you can start working by exchanging files between the two devices, or even with your smartphone, with a simple touch. On HUAWEI MateView, by connecting to the PC, you then start making video calls and following presentations with colleagues. After the meeting, you can take a look at what is happening at home simply by placing the HUAWEI smartphone on the laptop display, which will open the home security camera and check from the PC that everything is under control.
• Workout Scenario: To ease the stress of work and keep fit, there is nothing better than a workout. Here, too, you can take advantage of the HUAWEI ecosystem. In fact, you can be guided by the over 100 training modes available on the HUAWEI Watch 3 by listening to the right music, always saved on the smartwatch, through the ANC HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 earphones that allow you to isolate yourself from the surrounding environment and focus on what to listen to. . After training, you will want to go shopping to prepare a healthy meal and follow the diet: in this case, it will be sufficient to consult an app suitable for the purpose, for example that of Melarossa, on HUAWEI Watch 3, and that’s it!

These are just small examples of what it will be possible to do in the near future with the integrations allowed by HUAWEI products, and it is just a taste, also because the company is committed in Europe to collaborate with the major producers of technological devices, in a way to build an increasingly rich and varied ecosystem.

HarmonyOS compatible devices

HUAWEI has decided to launch HarmonyOS to the general public in conjunction with the release of version 2 of the operating system. In total there will be about 100 Huawei products that will receive an upgrade to HarmonyOS 2, including the Mate 40, Mate 30 and P40 smartphones and the MatePad Pro tablets (you can in any case return to Android, if you have second thoughts), but for the moment the thing mainly concerns the Chinese market. In Italy, however, it was decided to directly launch many new interesting products with HarmonyOS: here they are in detail.

HUAWEI Watch 3 and Watch 3 Pro

The smartwatches of the HUAWEI Watch 3 familyare the first devices in their category that work with HarmonyOS 2. They feature a curved glass screen, a 316L stainless steel case and a new 3D rotating crown that detects different pressure levels and provides tactile feedback in response to user input. They allow you to make and receive phone calls, manage health and fitness with support for 100 training modes and, thanks to the new high-precision temperature sensor, monitor the temperature directly from the wrist. In addition, they support fall detection with automatic activation of SOS functions. Thanks to the integration with the other devices given by HarmonyOS, the functions pass directly from the smartphone to the wrist, making information of various kinds available at a glance, for example those on flights and destinations to reach (with real-time alerts). Autonomy, then, is top of the class, with HUAWEI Watch 3 Pro which offers up to 5 days battery life in smart mode and 21 days in ultra long mode and HUAWEI Watch 3 which has 3 days battery life in smart mode and 14 days in ultra battery life mode long. More information here and here.

HUAWEI MatePad Pro and MatePad 11

HUAWEI MatePad Pro also supporting the passing of files between devices. The device is compatible with the penSecond generation HUAWEI M-Pencil , which is platinum coated to ensure high precision handwriting and has ultra low latency. The latter recognizes 4,096 force levels and features the FreeScript function that converts handwriting into digital text in real time. Read more here.

HUAWEI MatePad 11 is another tablet with HarmonyOS, in this case mid-range. Its most interesting feature is certainly the display, which measures 10.95 “(2560 x 1600 pixels of resolution) and has a very high refresh rate, equal to 120Hz, to have very fluid animations and natural and super responsive interactions with the HUAWEI pen. Second generation M-Pencil. The excellent color reproduction (DCI-P3) and the TUV Rheinland certification, which testifies to the protection from blue light and the possibility of using the tablet for many hours without straining the eyes, should also be underlined.

It is a desktop tablet equipped with a keyboard (with support for wireless charging) and a long battery life: 10-12 hours per charge with average use. The multimedia sector is also very good, with a refined audio system including 4 microphones and background noise suppression technology. Read more here.

MateView and MateView GT

There are also two monitors in the new HUAWEI catalog, and what a monitor! Let’s start with MateView, which is a very elegant 28.2 “monitor with super-thin edges and 4K resolution (3840 x 2560 pixels) with 3: 2 aspect ratio, cinematic DCI-P3 color gamut, delta E in sRGB below 1 and HDR support with VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification.

It offers a convenient Smart Bar for quick change of the input source and interacts wirelessly with the devices of the HUAWEI ecosystem. For example, you can place your smartphone on the base to project its screen onto the monitor. Also excellent is the allocation of ports, with 1 USB-C, 2 USB-A, 1 HDMI, 1 Mini DisplayPort. Audio side, to report the presence of two 5W speakers in the support bracket, two microphones and audio jack. Read more here.

HUAWEI MateView GT is a 34 “monitor with 3K resolution (3440 x 1440 pixels), an aspect ratio of 21: 9 with 1500R curvature and an impressive refresh rate, equal to 165Hz, to have very fluid images during gaming sessions and Supports 1.07 million colors with cinema-grade P3 gamut, Delta E under 2, 350 nits of brightness, 4000: 1 contrast ratio and ultra-modern design.

The support bracket includes a stereo soundbar with two 5W speakers and touch controls. The allocation of ports, then, is extraordinary: 1 DisplayPort, 2 HDMI 2.0, 2 USB-C (one of which for charging). Read more here.