HarmonyOS

A viral video of Huawei’s Richard Yu in an AITO M8, appearing momentarily distracted while driving, has sparked debates on autonomous vehicle safety and driver responsibility. Captured in Beijing on May 26, the footage shows a bystander questioning Yu’s alertness, prompting mixed social media reactions—some defending his workload, others speculating about technology testing. Analysts link the incident to Huawei’s push in China’s competitive EV market, where its cars claimed 12% of Q1 2024 new energy sales. Amid warnings from safety experts about required driver supervision for ADAS systems, the publicity may benefit Huawei’s automotive division, projected to see 40% revenue growth to $2.8 billion this year.

Huawei’s consumer chief Richard Yu stated at Tsinghua University that developing ecosystems is tougher than creating OS systems. Speaking on May 23, he emphasized HarmonyOS—now running on 800 million devices globally—as an innovative, infrastructure-independent platform. Yu, a 1993 Huawei veteran behind key telecom patents, urged engineering graduates to join the company’s software initiatives, framing OS development as foundational for smart industries. He humorously contrasted his technical expertise with humanities, underscoring Huawei’s focus on cross-sector innovation for ecosystem maturity.

Huawei launched its first HarmonyOS PCs, the foldable MateBook Fold and high-end MateBook Pro, challenging Windows and macOS dominance. CEO Yu Chengdong emphasized hardware-software-cloud integration and cross-device synergy, targeting enterprise and creative markets. Analysts predict Huawei’s HarmonyOS PC shipments could exceed 15 million annually by 2027, though competing against Windows’ 83% market share poses challenges. The move may spark patent discussions with Microsoft and Apple while positioning Huawei as a key player in reshaping global PC ecosystems through distributed intelligence frameworks.

WeChat’s HarmonyOS version 1.0.6.41 introduces chat-based viewing/receiving notes and expands biometric payment verification via facial recognition and fingerprint scanning. With 4 million installations reported since January (15% monthly growth), the update aligns Tencent’s security protocols with iOS/Android standards while leveraging native HarmonyOS advantages. Cross-device synchronization and night mode features remain fully functional amid incremental biometric rollouts prioritizing financial safety. Developers emphasize phased deployment timelines tied to compliance frameworks.