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HarmonyOS NEXT is a pure HarmonyOS without Android apps and future of Huawei ecosystem
At HDC 2023, Huawei unveiled the “HarmonyOS NEXT” operating system exclusively for developers. New information reveals that HarmonyOS NEXT is a pure HarmonyOS and it could be the future of Huawei smartphones and other smart devices.
Let’s take a look at what we currently know about HarmonyOS NEXT.
HarmonyOS NEXT is currently introduced as a playfield for developers to build and test native mobile apps for a solid app ecosystem. The software doesn’t use Android libraries and it can’t open Android APKs.
In simple words, you can call HarmonyOS NEXT a future mobile operating system with HarmonyOS-only apps. This is the end goal and Huawei is preparing with this launch.
HarmonyOS with AOSP:
The consumer version of HarmonyOS has Android Open Source Project (AOSP) libraries to run Android apps. Why? Because the HarmonyOS app ecosystem currently low number of developers and native HarmonyOS applications on AppGallery.
Therefore, the HarmonyOS in the smartphone comes with Android libraries to unpack APKs and provide a better user experience. Even this HMOS can run both Android and native HarmonyOS (.HAP) apps.
HarmonyOS NEXT vs HarmonyOS:
From User interface and animations to Features, HarmonyOS NEXT and HarmonyOS are identical. There are no major differences between these two software. Yet, the capability of supporting native apps is the main reason Huawei preparing to shift from Android completely.
Developer Beta:
According to the official announcement, the developer preview version of HarmonyOS NEXT is opened for cooperative enterprise developers in August (this month). It will be open to all developers in the first quarter of 2024.
Conversation with Huawei’s on-site staff at HDC 2023 booth shows that HarmonyOS NEXT runs Huawei’s official chipset from Kirin 9000 series. There are more smartphones with different chips that may be adapted for the HarmonyOS NEXT developer beta test.
Outcome:
Finally, Huawei laid out the foundation to build a pure HarmonyOS app ecosystem and HarmonyOS NEXT is the way to achieve this aim in an effective way. Once developed, Huawei will make HarmonyOS NEXT as its official “HarmonyOS” for all of its smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and third-party platforms.
However, there’s more that we need to know on this matter.