The Mate 70, with an initial price of 5,499 yuan, not only impresses with its design and cutting-edge hardware but also represents a significant step forward in the company’s strategy regarding its operating system. Instead of following the norm of using Google’s Android or Apple’s iOS, Huawei introduced HarmonyOS Next, a completely internally developed operating system aimed at offering a viable alternative to the two Western giants.
This move is not just a response to the dominance of Android and iOS, but also an attempt by Huawei to protect itself against the severe trade sanctions imposed by the United States since 2019. Being added to the U.S. commercial blacklist prevented Huawei from accessing essential technologies, including components and software from companies like Google and Microsoft, which are crucial for smartphone manufacturing. Since then, Huawei has been forced to seek alternative solutions to ensure its survival in the global smartphone market, and HarmonyOS is one of the results of this struggle.
The new operating system, HarmonyOS Next, is not merely an updated version of its previous editions but rather an independent platform that no longer supports Android-based apps. Over the past few years, Huawei has heavily invested in its own ecosystem, seeking a fully homegrown platform to compete with Western software standards. The launch of the Mate 70 marks a turning point, as the device comes to market with a system that represents what Huawei considers to be a “purebred” software, developed exclusively by the company’s engineers.
During the launch event, Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei, emphasized the importance of the Mate 70 for the company, calling it “our most powerful phone in the Mate series.” With a tone of confidence, he added, “We’ve always been copied, but never surpassed,” highlighting Huawei’s position as a brand that, despite challenges, continues to innovate. He also confirmed that starting in 2025, all of the company’s new devices, including smartphones and tablets, will be equipped with HarmonyOS, aiming to replace Android and iOS in the coming years.
The launch of the Mate 70 not only expands Huawei’s ambitions in the smartphone market but also symbolizes the company’s resilience, having developed its own operating system and continued to compete with industry giants, even after the U.S. sanctions. The Mate 70 is the successor to the Mate 60, a device that also attracted attention in 2023 by demonstrating Huawei’s ability to manufacture advanced chips—an impressive feat given the technological restrictions imposed by the U.S. administration.
According to analysts from Canalys, the Mate 70 represents “a critical step” in the evolution of Huawei’s software, which is preparing to compete with Android and iOS in the global market. Lucas Zhong, a Canalys analyst, points out that the shift to HarmonyOS will be key for the company to maintain its position in the premium smartphone segment, retain its consumers, and attract new users. This move is not limited to the development of the operating system but also to building a robust app ecosystem, which is crucial for HarmonyOS’s success.
The Mate 70 arrives at a strategic moment for Huawei, which has experienced remarkable growth in the high-end smartphone market in China. According to data from Canalys, Huawei’s share of the smartphone market for devices priced over $600 rose from 11% in the third quarter of 2022 to an impressive 33% in the same period of 2024. In comparison, Apple saw its share in this segment drop from 72% to 52%, reflecting Huawei’s recovery after years of difficulties caused by U.S. sanctions.
One of the major innovations of the Mate 70 is its operating system, which aims to create a closed ecosystem independent of Western technology. Over the past few years, Huawei has dedicated itself to expanding HarmonyOS, which in its previous version still supported Android apps, but now seeks to create an entirely new platform. Eric Xu, rotating president of Huawei, openly discussed the company’s plans to expand its operating system, stating that Huawei’s goal is to create a robust app ecosystem, starting with the Chinese market but gradually expanding to other countries.
“When we migrate… tens of thousands of other apps from the Android ecosystem to HarmonyOS, our HarmonyOS will truly be built and will become the third mobile operating system in the world, alongside Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android,” Xu said in a recent statement. He also mentioned that Huawei aims to create 100,000 apps for its operating system over the next year. For HarmonyOS to succeed, it is crucial for Huawei to attract developers to its platform, building a network of compatible apps and devices. “If no one uses it, no matter how advanced the operating system is, it will have no value,” said Xu, emphasizing the importance of building a solid app base from the start.
This transition will not be simple, as noted by Mengmeng Zhang, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research. Zhang predicted that the Mate 70 series could ship over 10 million units during its lifetime, which would demonstrate Huawei’s success in regaining a significant share of the premium market. However, she pointed out that it will take time for Huawei to expand its developer base and establish a competitive ecosystem for HarmonyOS. The company will face the difficult task of convincing developers to create apps for a platform that is still in development, as well as overcoming the resistance of competing with well-established operating systems like Android and iOS.
Furthermore, Huawei faces the challenge not only of attracting developers to HarmonyOS but also of ensuring that consumers see value in migrating to the new platform. The success of the Mate 70 and, by extension, HarmonyOS, will depend on Huawei’s ability to create an ecosystem that offers a seamless user experience, with the availability of popular apps and performance that rivals the more established operating systems.
The future of the Mate 70 and HarmonyOS Next is still uncertain, but what is clear is that Huawei is determined to break through the barriers imposed by U.S. sanctions and carve out its own path in the tech world. The company is not just trying to reinvent the mobile operating system but also redefine its position in the global market by creating an innovative platform that may, in time, challenge for the top spot in the industry. It remains to be seen how consumers, developers, and the global market will respond to this bold strategy. The Mate 70 and HarmonyOS are just the beginning of this journey.
