CEO: Huawei can develop viable operating system

The founder of Huawei Technologies Co said he believes the company can develop its in-house operating system Harmony into the equivalent of say, Apple's operating system, in less than two to three years.

"I think it will take less than two to three years. Since I'm part of the company's leadership, I need to be a bit more conservative when discussing timelines. Otherwise, I may end up putting too much pressure on our staff," Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei said in an interview with Fortune magazine.

"But in truth, I personally don't think they need a full two to three years," Ren said in the comments based on a transcript Huawei published online.