Huawei’s HarmonyOS crosses ‘survival line’ as user base hits 27 million

HarmonyOS, Huawei Technologies’ self-developed operating system, has crossed the threshold of 27 million users, a sign that the company’s efforts to take on Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android are paying off.

The platform also boasted an ecosystem of over 10 million developers. User engagement crossed milestones, too, with more than 100,000 new devices activated on a daily basis, as well as over 88 million daily downloads and updates recorded for applications, according to the company.

The latest figures, which come six years after the company first launched the operating system to counter Washington’s sanctions on its access to Android, reflected how Huawei’s efforts to develop an alternative for the world’s largest smartphone manufacturers were paying off.

Huawei has been transitioning its own devices to the operating system since 2021, ramping up efforts after the US placed the company on its Entity List in 2019 over national security concerns. The privately held firm has since expanded HarmonyOS beyond smartphones and tablets.