OpenHarmony has become one of the software projects of most strategic open source in the Chinese technology ecosystemBorn from Huawei's HarmonyOS operating system and donated to the OpenAtom Foundation, this system seeks to be much more than an alternative to Android or Windows: it aspires to become the basis of a huge ecosystem of connected devices, from mobiles to cars, including the most everyday Internet of Things.
In recent years, and especially after the United States imposed sanctions on Huawei, OpenHarmony has gone from being an experiment to a mature platform with millions of developers and hundreds of commercial productsLarge international foundations like Eclipse, Chinese local governments, and companies of all sizes are involved, seeing this system as a way to reduce dependence on Western technologies.
What is OpenHarmony and what is its origin?
OpenAtom OpenHarmony, known simply as OpenHarmony (sometimes abbreviated as OHOS in the development environment), is the open-source version of the HarmonyOS operating system. This kernel was donated by Huawei to the OpenAtom Foundation, China's first major free software foundation and a non-profit organization that manages the project with a vendor-neutral approach.
From a technical point of view, OpenHarmony is designed with a very clear and modular layered architectureFrom bottom to top, it is organized into four levels: the kernel layer, the system services layer, the framework layer, and finally, the application layer. This structure allows it to scale from very small devices to much more powerful systems, while maintaining a common foundation.
One of the most striking features is its ability to work on devices with extremely limited resources, starting from just 128 KB of memoryThis range includes small connected devices such as simple printers, basic smart speakers, sensors, and very lightweight wearables. Starting at 128 MB of memory, a more complete standard system comes into play, suitable for smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and computers.
The system not only integrates the essential functions, but also inherits many of the HarmonyOS's advanced capabilities, such as distributed computing and the ease with which multiple devices can work as if they were one. This allows for scenarios where a mobile phone, a television, and a speaker share applications and resources transparently to the user.
Following Google's veto and the inability to use the company's mobile services on new devices, Huawei decided to invest heavily in a a proprietary operating system that did not depend on Android or US licensesHarmonyOS, the commercial version with proprietary components, is the most visible face for the end user, while OpenHarmony is the open foundation on which other manufacturers and developers can build their own solutions.
Relationship between HarmonyOS and OpenHarmony
HarmonyOS and OpenHarmony may sound almost the same, but they play different roles within the same strategy. HarmonyOS is the commercial version that Huawei installs on its deviceswith additional services and layers from the company itself. OpenHarmony, on the other hand, is the project maintained by the OpenAtom Foundation and distributed as open source, which any manufacturer can adapt without paying for licenses.
At the time, Huawei replicated the move that Google made with the Android Open Source Project (AOSP): to transfer the “core” of the operating system to an external foundationGoogle did it to boost Android worldwide, and Huawei has followed a similar tactic by donating OpenHarmony to OpenAtom, detaching it from the HarmonyOS brand and placing it under community governance.
In this way, other manufacturers can use OpenHarmony without being directly linked to a Chinese company sanctioned by the United States, maintaining greater [agreement/agreement/etc.]. legal and commercial independence in the face of international restrictionsAt the same time, Huawei benefits from the innovation that arises in this open ecosystem, as many improvements find their way to HarmonyOS Next, the most advanced iteration of its system.
While HarmonyOS includes proprietary components and specific Huawei mobile services, OpenHarmony acts as base platform for third parties to develop their own layers and servicesIt is expected that, just as happened with Android, the growth of the open version will multiply the number of compatible devices, applications and tools available.
This strategy contrasts sharply with the evolution of Android. In recent years, Google has been phasing out key parts of the system to Google Mobile Services (GMS), leaving AOSP with a increasingly limited core with fewer immediate updatesHuawei, on the other hand, seeks just the opposite: to open the door to the maximum number of developers possible in order to strengthen its ecosystem and gain critical mass.
Distributed architecture and compatible devices
One of OpenHarmony's strengths is its ability to function as a multi-core distributed operating systemThis means that it is not limited to managing a single device, but is designed to coordinate a set of connected devices that share hardware and software resources.
In practice, OpenHarmony allows connected machines and objects, such as drones, bipedal robots, smart supermarket checkouts, or home automation systems, collaborate with each other regardless of the size or power of each deviceThey can all run parts of the system and applications, providing the user with a continuous and seamless experience.
The platform's versatility makes it possible to use it with a huge list of products: smartphones, tablets, personal computers, smart TVs, speakers, smartwatches and fitness trackers, headphones, connected car systems, industrial terminals and so on. Manufacturers can select only the necessary modules, maintaining very low power consumption in small devices and unleashing full potential in more powerful equipment.
A curious example is that of existing Android phones: certain models, such as the well-known Huawei P30, have demonstrated that it is possible Install HarmonyOS on phones that originally came with AndroidAlthough this example refers to Huawei's commercial version, it illustrates the platform's compatibility potential and the possibilities it opens up for other manufacturers to explore migrations or dual systems in the future.
This ability to adapt to such a wide range of devices is crucial for the rise of the Internet of Things, where lightweight, secure operating systems capable of integration are needed. highly heterogeneous ecosystems, from the home to heavy industry.
Project graduation and ecosystem maturity
In the world of free software, a project reaching what's called "graduation" is more than just a bureaucratic detail. For OpenHarmony, the OpenAtom Foundation has announced that the system has reached a level of sufficient technical maturity to sustain itself and scale to an industrial levelThis implies that the processes of development, governance, security, and code quality have passed a series of formal milestones.
The community surrounding OpenHarmony is already impressive in numbers. In the Chinese ecosystem alone, there are reports of more than 2,2 million active developers involved in the development of applications and solutions on this platform. This volume of talent is a sign that the project has ceased to be a curiosity and has become a real alternative for companies and public bodies.
At the product level, Huawei noted in its 2023 annual report that OpenHarmony was the open-source operating system for the fastest-growing smart devices During that year, more than 70 different organizations contributed to the development of the code, and more than 460 hardware and software products based on this technology had already been created in sectors as varied as finance, education, aerospace, and industrial automation.
This dynamism is also supported by the deployment of specific hardware for testing and optimizing OpenHarmony. In China, development boards, test kits, and commercial devices ready to use with the system are becoming increasingly common, accelerating the adoption among companies, universities and R&D laboratories who want to experiment with their own solutions.
The goal of open source, besides technological independence, is to replicate Android's strategy: Eliminate licensing costs for users and offer businesses a customizable foundation from which to build their products, adapting the operating system to their specific needs without starting from scratch.
Geopolitical context and the search for self-sufficiency
OpenHarmony cannot be understood without the surrounding geopolitical context. Following Google's ban on Huawei and the severe trade restrictions imposed by the United States, China has redoubled its efforts to achieve the technological self-sufficiency in key areas such as chips, operating systems and cloud platformsOpenHarmony is one of the pillars of this strategy.
President Xi Jinping himself has insisted to the Politburo on the need to accelerate the development of local operating systems and critical technologies “as soon as possible”Faced with the real possibility of being left without access to Western solutions, OpenHarmony is being promoted in China as a "national operating system," a symbol of the technological independence sought by the country.
The strategy isn't limited to mobile devices. Back in 2014, China banned the use of Windows on computers in the public sector, which then primarily switched to operating systems with operating systems. Linux-based distributions tailored to government needsOpenHarmony fits into this trend as a candidate to replace or complement other systems in government and corporate environments.
The commercial version, HarmonyOS, is showing signs of its impact: in the first quarter of 2024, Huawei's operating system It surpassed Apple's iOS in market share within Chinasecond only to Android. This growth reinforces OpenHarmony's appeal, as both are perceived as part of the same, broader Harmony ecosystem.
In parallel, China has been reducing its dependence on code collaboration platforms like GitHub, promoting local alternatives such as Gitee to host and coordinate free software projects within the countryOpenHarmony benefits from this infrastructure and an ecosystem highly focused on prioritizing "made in China" solutions.
The role of the OpenAtom Foundation
The OpenAtom Foundation is the organization responsible for the OpenHarmony community management and development after Huawei donated the code in 2020 and 2021. It is a non-profit entity based in Beijing, driven by some of the best-known Chinese technology giants.
Among the companies that participated in its creation are names like Alibaba, Baidu, Huawei, Inspur, Qihoo, Tencent or China Merchants BankAmong others. They all share an interest in building a common open framework for the information and digital technologies industry in China, with open source as its backbone.
OpenAtom's mission goes beyond OpenHarmony. The foundation seeks Improve the efficiency of industrial collaboration and foster internationally oriented open-source communitiesOffering neutral intellectual property management, advice on opening strategies, project operation and marketing services, as well as education and training on software, hardware, chips and other technological content.
In the specific case of OpenHarmony, OpenAtom is responsible for coordinating the companies involved in developing viable alternatives to US technologies, even in sensitive areas such as defense or satellitesVarious reports, such as those from the Jamestown Foundation, suggest that the system could eventually become the basis for highly critical applications.
Despite no longer controlling the OpenHarmony code, Huawei remains a key player in the ecosystem and benefits from the expansion of this system, which fuels the so-called “Harmony ecosystem” in a broad sense, mixing HarmonyOS and OpenHarmony in many official speeches and documents.
International partnerships: Eclipse Foundation and Oniro project
The commitment to OpenHarmony is not limited to China. The Eclipse Foundation, one of the Europe's largest free software organizations, has announced together with the OpenAtom Foundation its intention to forge a strategic collaboration around OpenHarmony.
The common goal of this alliance is to build a global open source community, vendor-neutral and independentThis will allow developers, systems integrators, and businesses to expand their reach within a single, unified ecosystem. In other words, any player can base their products on OpenHarmony without feeling tied to a specific country or company.
Within this framework, Eclipse plans to establish new open source projects and a dedicated working group to promote a fully compliant, globally market-oriented implementation of OpenHarmony. One of the projects mentioned is Oniro, a system designed for phones and IoT devices that uses OpenHarmony as its technological foundation.
Mike Milinkovich, executive director of the Eclipse Foundation, has argued that open source is the best mechanism for global communities to collaborate on shared technologiesTheir intention is to leverage innovation from both Europe and China to create solutions that can be used on a global scale.
On behalf of OpenAtom, Tao Yang, chairman of the board, emphasized that a A unified and diverse open-source community is essential for the sustainability of OpenHarmony.This vision, combined with Eclipse's organizational capabilities, opens the door to expansion beyond Chinese borders and already has use cases in sectors such as automotive, industry, and European embedded devices.
Innovation centers and real-world use cases
In China, the deployment of OpenHarmony is driven by a network of innovation centers dedicated to the Harmony ecosystemOne of the most representative is in Shenzhen, Huawei's hometown and a traditional laboratory for policies that are later extended to the rest of the country.
At the Shenzhen Harmony Ecosystem Innovation Center, you can see, all in one place, drones, bipedal robots, smart supermarket checkouts, and other devices running on OpenHarmony. The idea is to show what a future could look like in which this operating system gradually replaces Windows and Android in the Chinese market.
This center, owned by the local government, serves to encourage authorities, businesses, and hardware manufacturers to Develop software and products based on OpenHarmonyThe city has actively supported the ecosystem, and another similar center has already opened in Chengdu, with plans to open at least ten more in other cities.
Key developers include companies such as Shenzhen Kaihong Digital, headed by Wang Chenglu, known as the “godfather” of Harmonyand Chinasoft. Both have worked on OpenHarmony-based infrastructure solutions for areas such as the port of Tianjin or mines in Shaanxi province, a major coal-producing center.
Although OpenHarmony's use remains largely concentrated in China, the interest of international organizations like Eclipse and the first experiments on mobile phones from other brands, such as certain OnePlus devices where the system has been shown in operationThey point out that the technology is also viable outside of Huawei's catalog.
Adoption, figures and challenges for developers
The numbers surrounding the Harmony ecosystem are already very large. More than 900 million devices, including phones, watches and car systems, run HarmonyOSMeanwhile, around 2,4 million developers are working on applications and services for this platform, according to recent data from Huawei.
This volume creates a drag effect for OpenHarmony, as many developers see the open systems as a way to create reusable solutions both within the Huawei ecosystem and in products from other manufacturers. However, there are also challenges: it takes time and iterations for developers to fully trust OpenHarmony and master its tools.
Analysts like Emma Xu of Canalys point out that the the reputation and trust that HarmonyOS has earned These factors work in favor of the open-source project. Even so, the community needs to mature further, better document certain areas, and offer a competitive development experience compared to established ecosystems like Android or iOS.
To encourage adoption, Huawei and other ecosystem players are facilitating the use of open and modern languages, such as CangjieDesigned to compete with Kotlin and Swift, it also facilitates application sideloading and a more flexible policy than the approach Google is taking with Android, where obstacles are being put in the way of installing external APKs.
Unlike the closure-oriented moves seen at Google, the PC-focused version of HarmonyOS aims to maintain a more open stance. allowing the installation of software with fewer restrictionsThis philosophy of openness is partly reflected in OpenHarmony, which benefits from a community eager to try new ideas without the constraints of overly closed ecosystems.
The big question is how the international market will respond and whether other major manufacturers will dare to break their dependence on Windows and Android in certain segments, betting on OpenHarmony as a strategic alternative, especially in contexts where technological sovereignty is a determining factor.
Today, OpenHarmony represents a very peculiar combination of industrial interests, geopolitical ambition, and genuine open-source innovationIt has gone from being an emergency plan for Huawei to becoming the basis of an entire ecosystem that wants to offer a third way against the dominance of Google, Apple and Microsoft, both in China and, potentially, in other markets seeking greater technological independence.