This archive report was first published on 17 August 2019.
On August 17, 2019, Huawei made a significant announcement with the unveiling of HarmonyOS, a new operating system that has been in development for over 10 years. The launch comes at a time when the company is facing a ban from America and potential restrictions on using operating systems like Android and Windows.
The first product to run HarmonyOS is the Honor Vision TV, a 55-inch 4K Ultra-HD LCD TV with a maximum brightness of 400 nits and a screen-to-body ratio of 94%. The TV features six 10-watt speakers and supports wireless communication with Bluetooth 5.0.
HarmonyOS is a microkernel-based OS that can run on multiple device types, including smartwatches, televisions, smart displays, car kits, and smartphones. The OS is designed to be a full smart hub experience, with features like video calls, face recognition, and voice commands.
The Honor Vision TV comes with Honor Magic, which allows users to link their phone and control the TV using it. The TV also supports casting from phone to screen using DLNA or Miracast standards, with low latency for screen share gaming.
HarmonyOS is already available on the Honor Vision TV in China, starting at ~$537 for the 16GB variant and $680 for the 32GB model. The OS has been praised for its open-source design, which could make it easier for developers to get on board.
