Huawei Mobile Services Core (HMS Core): Replacement of Google’s developer libraries, here’s everything you need to know

HMS Core is a collection of tools made for Huawei’s partners and app developers to create unique, new experiences that tap into the full hardware and software capabilities Huawei devices have on offer.

By integrating HMS into their apps with HMS Core, developers can quickly deploy Huawei’s on-device capabilities such as HiAI, distributed technology, and camera features on their apps and provide quality experiences to end-users.

Huawei devices exclusively with Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) and its “Core Kits” aims to deliver the alternatives of GMS and libraries for HMS developers.

(We’ve already explored Huawei Mobile Services in a separate article which you can check here)

As of now, the HMS Core 5.0 has opened capabilities that increased 14 kits to 56 kits, while the number of APIs has jumped from 885 to 12981 covering seven major areas, helping developers achieve new innovation and simplify the development process.

Compared to this, at the beginning of 2020, Huawei had 24 HMS Core kits, 55 services, and 997 APIs. Including services such as In-app purchases (IAP), Account Login and Game services, Push notifications, Analytics, Monetization, Maps, Location, and more.

Below you can check, HMS Core Kits in detail.

HMS Core Kits:

App Services:

• App Services
• Account Kit
• Ads Kit
• Analytics Kit
• App Linking
• Awareness Kit
• Drive Kit
• Dynamic Tag Manager
• Game Service
• Health Kit
• Identity Kit
• In-App Purchases
• Location Kit
• Map Kit
• Push Kit
• Quick App
• Scan Kit
• Search Kit
• Site Kit
• Wallet Kit

AI:

• ML Kit
• HUAWEI HiAI Foundation
• HUAWEI HiAI Engine
• HUAWEI HiAI Service

Media

• Audio Engine
• Audio Kit
• Camera Engine
• Image Kit
• Panorama Kit
• Video Engine
• Video Kit
• WisePlay DRM

Smart Device:

• CaaS Engine
• Cast Engine
• DeviceVirtualization Engine
• OneHop Engine
• Share Engine
• Wear Engine

Graphics:

• Accelerate Kit
• AR Engine
• Computer Graphics Kit
• GameTurbo Engine
• Scene Kit

Security

• FIDO
• Safety Detect
• LocalAuthentication Engine
• DataSecurity Engine

System:

• hQUIC Kit
• Nearby Service
• Network Kit New
• Wireless Kit

Developer Tools:

• Reality Studio
• Theme Studio
• Graphic Profiler
• HMS Core ToolKit
• Quick App IDE

Some of the HMS Kits in detailed view:

Account Kit:

Huawei Account Kit provides developers with simple, secure, and quick sign-in and authorization functions. It allows users to access the products and services in the Huawei consumer cloud as well as personal information through mobile phones, tablets, PCs, or wearable devices.

Map Kit:

The Huawei Map Kit is a set of APIs that can be called to develop maps for Android. Developers can use this SDK to easily add map-related functions to Android apps.

Location Kit:

The Location Kit uses a hybrid positioning mode that combines GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and base station. It enables the app to obtain user locations quickly and accurately.

Huawei Location Kit combines the GPS, Wi-Fi, and base station locations to help app developers quickly obtain precise user locations, build up global positioning capabilities, and reach a wide range of users around the globe.

Push Kit:

Huawei Push Kit is a messaging service provided by Huawei for developers. It establishes a communication channel between the cloud and devices. By using Huawei Push Kit, developers can send the latest messages to users.

This helps developers maintain closer ties with users and increases user awareness and activity. The following figure shows the process of sending messages from the cloud to a device.

Drive Kit:

HMS Drive Kit allows developers to create apps that use the Huawei Cloud drive. Huawei Cloud drive provides cloud storage for the apps. The files generated during the app users will be stored in the cloud drive.

Users can also download and sync files stored in the cloud drive, including photos, videos, and documents. Also, the Huawei Cloud drive provides comprehensive security protection for various types of data, enabling users to manage data securely and conveniently.

Currently, the core capabilities of Huawei Drive Kit allow to upload and download files, as well as query and monitor cloud files.

Ads Kit:

Huawei Ads Kit supports developers in monetizing traffic on Huawei devices, facilitates advertising platforms and advertisers to track ads personalization, and provides advertising identifier capabilities.

In-App Purchase (IAP) Kit:

Huawei’s In-App Purchases (IAP) service developers to offer in-app purchases and facilitate in-app payment. Users can purchase a variety of products or services, including common virtual products and subscriptions, directly within the app.

The IAP service provides the Product Management System (PMS) for managing the prices and languages of game and app products in multiple countries.

Analytics Kit:

Huawei Analytics predefines a large number of analytics models to help developers clearly understand user behavior and gain in-depth insights into users, products, and content. As such, developers carry out data-driven operations and make strategic decisions about app marketing and product optimization.

HMS and Strategy:

Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) as well as HMS apps, incorporates Huawei’s chip, device and cloud capabilities and integrates a set of HMS core services (HMS Core), tools, and platforms for IDE development and testing.

According to the data shown by Huawei, HMS together with Huawei third-party applications and services forms an HMS Ecosystem for 570 million Huawei users across the globe with 1.3 million registered developers.

According to the previous data related to HMS Core, the HMS Core developer system is growing at a fast pace around the globe and as of March 2020, the global Monthly Active Users (MAU) reached 650 million, with an increase of 25% year-on-year (YoY).

Registered global developers grew up to 1.4 million, an increase of over 115% on year. While the number of uploaded apps featuring HMS Core increased over 60,000 YoY.

By July 2020, the Huawei HMS ecosystem is growing rapidly, reaching 700 million global Huawei device users, with a year-on-year growth of 32%. On the other hand, Huawei developers worldwide reached 1.6 million up 76% on year growth.

Huawei offers global developers a one-stop, highly efficient operation service through AppGallery Connect, which includes 68 services – an increase of 27 services since HDC 2019. The number of apps using AGC increased by 90%.

Huawei Mobile Services has set up 6 regional centers, 7 DigiX labs, with local tech experts and operation staff, to provide services for local developers and partners. Huawei empowers developers in every region to innovate and offers full support to help them bring their local innovations to the global stage, allowing the HMS ecosystem to flourish at the same time.

To encourage developers to publish their apps with HMS platform, Huawei has increased its investment to $1 billion under the developer program called the “Shining Star 2.0”. This program also aims to cover the development, growth, and marketing funds needed.

With this set of apps, services, and developer support, Huawei is ready to expand the ground of Huawei Mobile Services for global users.