Huawei’s HarmonyOS is gaining traction as a formidable competitor to Android and iOS, especially in China. According to a report by Counterpoint, HarmonyOS has seen a significant increase in market share, rising from 8% to 17% in China in the first quarter of 2024. This rise has allowed HarmonyOS to surpass iOS in China, as many locals are opting for Huawei’s flagship products.
On a global scale, Huawei has experienced a 2% increase, reaching a 4% market share. In contrast, both Android and iOS have seen a decrease of 1% each globally, although they still dominate the market with Android holding 77% and iOS with 19% of the global operating system market share.
Huawei has ambitious plans for HarmonyOS, aiming to launch 100,000 new applications for its operating system in the coming months. The company’s entry into the US blacklist prompted a need for independence in the operating system ecosystem, accelerating the development of HarmonyOS, which was first launched five years ago due to US sanctions that cut off Android access to Huawei products.
Currently, HarmonyOS houses 15,000 applications, but Huawei acknowledges the need for more personalized applications to mature its ecosystem. Huawei’s Chairman, Xu Zhijun, emphasized the importance of reaching 100,000 applications in the next six to twelve months to meet consumer needs and enhance HarmonyOS ecosystem’s maturity.
