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The evolution of HarmonyOS

In seven years HarmonyOS has gone from a TV operating system to a complete platform independent of Android. These are its stages and what changed in each version.

Updated 5 sources cited

Key points

  • HarmonyOS was born in 2019 on a TV and reached phones in 2021.
  • Up to version 4 it was a hybrid system that could run Android apps.
  • HarmonyOS 5 (2024) removed all Android code: in-house kernel and native apps only.
  • HarmonyOS 6 (2025) unified the system across devices, and HarmonyOS 7 (2026) is built around AI agents.

HarmonyOS versions, 2019–2026

  1. 2019 HarmonyOS 1.0 First release on Honor Vision TVs.
  2. 2021 HarmonyOS 2.0 Arrives on phones; Super Device and service widgets.
  3. 2022 HarmonyOS 3.0 ArkTS and declarative UI; Java dropped.
  4. 2023 HarmonyOS 4.0 Last big version with Android compatibility.
  5. 2024 HarmonyOS 5 (NEXT) No Android code: HongMeng kernel, native apps only. Mate 70.
  6. 2025 HarmonyOS 6 One framework for every device type. Mate 80.
  7. 2026 HarmonyOS 7 System-level AI agents and Ark Engine. Mate 90.
Hybrid: HarmonyOS + Android compatibility layer Fully in-house system (no Android code)

2019: a plan B that became plan A

In May 2019 the US government added Huawei to its Entity List, cutting it off from Google services. Three months later, at its developer conference (HDC), Huawei unveiled HarmonyOS 1.0. It debuted in August 2019 on Honor Vision TVs, not on a phone, and already pursued the idea that defines it: one system for many kinds of device.

2021–2024: the hybrid era (HarmonyOS 2, 3 and 4)

  1. HarmonyOS 2.0 · 2021Arrives on phones in June 2021, introducing Super Device, a redesigned control centre and service widgets. Underneath, an Android-compatible layer keeps APKs working.
  2. HarmonyOS 3.0 · 2022Released in July (beta) and October (stable). Introduces the ArkTS language with a declarative UI and drops Java for native apps.
  3. HarmonyOS 3.1 and 4.0 · 2023Better animations, performance and APIs. HarmonyOS 4 rolls out from August 2023 to 34 devices.
  4. HarmonyOS 4.2 · 2024Arrives with the Pura 70 series in April 2024. It is the last version able to run Android apps.

2024: HarmonyOS NEXT, the Android-free system

Huawei announced HarmonyOS NEXT in August 2023 and released the developer preview in January 2024. It officially launched as HarmonyOS 5 on 22 October 2024 and arrived with the Mate 70 series in November.

What it gained

  • The in-house HongMeng kernel instead of Linux.
  • An OpenHarmony base with no AOSP code.
  • Full control over the system and permissions.

What it lost

  • Compatibility with Android APKs.
  • An app catalogue that had to be rebuilt from scratch.
  • Availability outside China.

HarmonyOS 5.1 arrived with the Pura 80 series in June 2025.

2025: HarmonyOS 6, one system for everything

Released as a beta at HDC in June 2025 and stable from 25 November 2025 with the Mate 80 series, HarmonyOS 6 drops the "NEXT" suffix and unifies the framework for every device type: developers no longer have to deal with different APIs depending on the device. In April 2026 the Pura 90 series debuted HarmonyOS 6.1.

Devices running HarmonyOS 6 or later (millions)

  • June 2026 66 M
  • August 2026 80 M
  • September 2026 85 M
  • October 2026 90 M
  • End-2026 goal 100 M
Figures reported by Huawei (from September onwards they include HarmonyOS 7). Sources: Pandaily, TechNode, IntoMobile, Huawei Central.

2026: HarmonyOS 7 and AI agents

Huawei released the developer beta of HarmonyOS 7 on 12 June 2026 at HDC 2026 and described it as its biggest transformation yet: an "agent-first" system in which AI works at system level. The official launch came on 7 September 2026, alongside the Mate XT 2 tri-fold, and it ships on the Mate 90 series, unveiled on 1 October.

  • Celia as an agentThe assistant completes complex tasks across several apps and adds specialised agents.
  • Ark EngineHuawei promises 15% more performance and 36 more minutes of battery life.
  • AI securityReal-time blocking of scam calls and detection of fake websites.
  • New designA translucent, light-reactive interface and 3D wallpapers.

Performance and battery gains are Huawei's figures, not independent measurements.

Frequently asked questions

What is the latest version of HarmonyOS?

HarmonyOS 7, released as a developer beta in June 2026 and launched on 7 September 2026. It ships on the Mate 90 series and is rolling out to older phones.

What was HarmonyOS NEXT?

The development name of the first Android-free version. It was unveiled in 2023, released to the public as HarmonyOS 5 in October 2024, and the NEXT suffix was dropped with HarmonyOS 6.

When did HarmonyOS stop running Android apps?

With HarmonyOS 5, which debuted on the Mate 70 series in November 2024. Up to HarmonyOS 4.2, phones could install APKs.

Keep reading

Sources

  1. Wikipedia. HarmonyOS version history
  2. Huawei Central. HarmonyOS 7 debuts with AI security features, revamped UI, smarter Celia, and more (07/09/2026)
  3. IntoMobile. HarmonyOS 7 is here, and Huawei is going all in (09/09/2026)
  4. Pandaily. HDC 2026: HarmonyOS 7 Developer Beta launches (06/2026)
  5. Huawei (PR Newswire). Huawei launches the HUAWEI Mate 90 series (01/10/2026)