Huawei hasn’t given up on its ambitious homegrown OS project. According to a report by Chinese media site Global Times, the company might release a phone running the HongMeng OS by the end of the year.
The report suggests the mid-range device might be priced around 2000 Yuan ($288). Its aim is to attract developers and users to to join the ecosystem, which is being built to rival Google’s Android OS. As such, the goal may not be to initially sell large volumes of this model, but to introduce HongMeng OS in a low-cost package.
The company is set to host its developer conference in Dongguan, China on August 9; Huawei may take that opportunity to officially announce its new OS then. Chinese tech media outlet 36kr.com noted that the company will also launch Honor-branded smart TV devices running HongMeng.
Huawei accelerated its efforts towards building its own OS after companies like Google and Qualcomm banned it following US’ executive order in May. While President Trump recently said he’ll allow the Chinese company to resume trade with US companies, there is no clear indication of support from the industry.
During its earning call last week, Huawei’s chairman, Liang Hua, said while Android is the preferred operating system for the company’s devices, HongMeng OS is part of a “long-term strategy.”
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There’s no indication that Huawei will make HongMeng OS central to all of its devices. But given recent the turn of events, the company will likely be better off with a backup for US-based technologies in the near future.
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