There won’t be a single line of Android code in the “bottom layer” of Huawei’s proprietary operating system
January 18, a big Huawei event will take place in China, during which they will present a new generation of the HarmonyOS operating system. It's called HarmonyOS NEXT, and its main feature will be complete independence: it won't contain a single line of Android code.
As you know, the current HarmonyOS 4, like its previous versions, is based on AOSP – Android is open source. For example, HarmonyOS 4 is defined in Huawei Mate 60 Pro as Android 12. But this will not happen with HarmonyOS NEXT: it will be built on the Harmony (Hongmeng) core and will be compatible only with applications specially written for it. If you try to run an APK file on a device running HarmonyOS NEXT, the system reports that the file cannot be opened.
In China, Huawei's solution has caused great demand for programmers writing applications for HarmonyOS and familiar with its architecture. Because if previously a software developer could limit himself to one application for Android and HarmonyOS, now this will be impossible. 400 software companies in China (navigation apps, travel apps, finance apps, games, etc.) have started developing software specifically for HarmonyOS NEXT.
According to research organization TechInsights, in 2024, HarmonyOS will become the second largest mobile operating system in China after Android. That is, in terms of market share HarmonyOS should surpass iOS.