HarmonyOS, explained without the hype
Huawei's operating system is no longer "Android with a new skin": it has its own kernel, its own programming language and runs on phones, watches, tablets, laptops and cars. Here is what it is, how it got here and what it means if you live in Europe.
One operating system, many kinds of device
An ecosystem that is no longer small
HarmonyOS 6 arrived in November 2025 and in less than a year it is on more than 90 million devices. Counting earlier versions, Huawei talks about more than 1.3 billion devices.
- 1.3 bn+devices across the whole HarmonyOS ecosystem (June 2026)
- 90 m+devices on HarmonyOS 6 or later (October 2026)
- 100,000+native HarmonyOS apps (August 2026)
Sources: Huawei Central, Huawei Central, TechNode.
Where do you want to start?
-
What is HarmonyOS
Its own kernel, ArkTS, "atomic" services and one system for every device, step by step.
To start -
History
From the 2019 Honor TV to HarmonyOS 7: every version and what changed.
For context -
Versus Android and iOS
Where it wins, where it loses and what you need to know outside China.
To decide -
Devices
Phones, foldables, tablets, laptops, watches and cars running HarmonyOS.
To choose -
Developers
ArkTS, ArkUI, Cangjie and DevEco Studio: where to start building.
To build -
News
New devices, updates and developer news, every day.
To keep up
Would a HarmonyOS device suit you?
Six questions about where you live, which apps you use and which devices you own. Your answers never leave your browser.
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