Huawei launches HarmonyOS-powered PC rivaling Microsoft, Apple

Huawei Technologies Co officially unveiled its personal computers powered by its self-developed operating system on Monday in Chengdu, Sichuan province, aiming to break the dominance of Microsoft's Windows and Apple's macOS in desk operating systems.

According to Huawei, the HarmonyOS for PCs leverages over 2,700 core patents and five years of research and development efforts, involving more than 10,000 top engineers and 20 research institutes.

For decades, the global PC operating system market has been dominated by Microsoft's Windows and Apple's macOS, while domestic alternatives have largely relied on Linux-based modifications. Huawei wants to break this paradigm by developing its own PC operating system — HarmonyOS, the company said.

HarmonyOS integrates hardware, software, chips and cloud capabilities to deliver breakthroughs in AI-powered features and cross-device collaboration, Huawei said.

The new PCs run on HarmonyOS 5, which brings AI capabilities directly to the device level, reducing reliance on cloud connectivity. Its "develop once, deploy everywhere" framework slashes development costs and time, addressing long-standing challenges for domestic software adapting to Windows' complex ecosystem, Huawei said.

Huawei said earlier this month that more than 2,000 applications are being adapted to HarmonyOS PCs, with more than 300 of them already available.