Huawei has unveiled a smartphone operating system designed to replace Google’s Android and ensure the Chinese company can still operate during a trade war with the US.
The world’s second-biggest phone firm built HarmonyOS after US rules imposed in May limited its use of the Android operating system.
Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei’s consumer device unit, said the company’s preferred option was to continue installing Google’s software on its device.
‘However, if we cannot use it in the future we can immediately switch to HarmonyOS,” Yu said at a press conference.
He also claimed this massive switchover could be performed in as little as two days – which would be an epic achievement and quite a show of strength from the Chinese giant.
Huawei’s first smartphone using HarmonyOS will be released Saturday under its Honor brand, Yu added.
Huawei is reliant on Google’s Android operating system for its phones and tablets.
But in May this year, it was reported that Google had cut off Huawei’s licence which means it could no longer have apps like Gmail or Google Maps on its phones. Its access to security updates and patches was also withdrawn.
This means customers are still able to update their phones and apps, but cannot update to a newer version of the Android operating system if one becomes available.
Google’s parent company Alphabet said it had taken steps to ‘comply with the recent US government actions’.
This could be a reference to US President Donald Trump’s executive order apparently aimed at banning Huawei’s equipment from US networks and said it was subjecting the Chinese company to strict export controls.
The order – which empowers the US government to ban the technology and services of ‘foreign adversaries’ deemed to pose ‘unacceptable risks’ to national security – did not name specific countries or companies.
It’s believed that other American tech companies, like chip makers Quakcomm and Intel are also looking at cutting ties with Huawei.
Over the last few years, Huawei has become the world’s second-largest phone manufacturer after Samsung.
The company issued a statement in response to the ban earlier this year. It said: ‘Huawei has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world. As one of Android’s key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry.
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