On May 8, Huawei Technologies unveiled its first laptop that runs the company’s self-developed operating system, HarmonyOS, following the expiration of its previous applied Microsoft Windows licence for personal computers (PCs) not allowed renewal in March.

This move highlights Huawei's push for self-reliance amid U.S. sanctions that restricted its access to American technology, including Microsoft's Windows operating system.

HarmonyOS-Powered Laptop is designed to integrate seamlessly with other Huawei devices, such as smartphones and tablets, under the company’s "1+8+N" ecosystem strategy.

Huawei’s president of tablets and PCs, Zhu Dongdong announced the laptop during a closed-door event in Shenzhen in south Guangdong province, where the company is headquartered. Huawei had “fully entered the era of HarmonyOS” for terminal devices, he was quoted as saying.

Stacked with artificial intelligence (AI) features, the laptop, which has not yet been named, operates HarmonyOS 5, also referred to as HarmonyOS Next, the latest iteration of the system.

The new laptop features Huawei’s AI assistant, Celia, that is capable of performing tasks such as creating slides, summarising the minutes of a meeting and retrieving information from local documents, provided it has access to the necessary third-party software, according to state-backed newspaper Securities Times, citing Huawei’s president of tablets and PCs, Zhu Dongdong.
HarmonyOS on PCs includes a wide range of software catering to both work and entertainment needs, such as WPS, China’s alternative to Microsoft Office, and Alibaba Group Holding’s enterprise collaboration platform, DingTalk, according to Chinese tech news outlet ITHome.

The laptop is also compatible with a growing selection of mobile apps available on HarmonyOS smartphones, including social media platform RedNote, video-sharing site Bilibili and ByteDance’s enterprise collaboration tool Feishu.

The laptop’s user interface merges elements of traditional PCs and smartphones. It features a software short-cut bar at the bottom similar to the Dock on Apple’s macOS, while the home screen displays software short cuts in the form of icons, cards or folders.

Huawei plans to officially launch the laptop on May 19, according to Chinese media.

Background of HarmonyOS development:

The U.S. sanctions against Huawei have led to the expiration of Microsoft's Windows license for Huawei PCs, effectively preventing them from using Windows on new devices. This is due to ongoing US restrictions, which have made it difficult for Microsoft to renew the license. As a result, Huawei is phasing out Windows and has begun using its own HarmonyOS operating system.

• 2019 Trade Restrictions: The U.S. government placed Huawei on the Entity List, banning American companies from supplying it with critical technology without government approval.
• 2020 Tightened Controls: The U.S. further restricted Huawei’s access to semiconductors and software, including Google Mobile Services (GMS) and Microsoft Windows.
• Impact on Microsoft: Due to these sanctions, Microsoft could not renew Huawei’s Windows license, forcing Huawei to find an alternative OS for its PCs.

Huawei’s Response: Transition to HarmonyOS

• HarmonyOS originally designed for IoT and smartphones, HarmonyOS is now being adapted for PCs and laptops.
• HarmonyOS Next focuses on cross-device integration (phones, tablets, smartwatches) under Huawei’s ecosystem.
• HarmonyOS may integrate deeper with AI, cloud computing, and IoT devices to compete with Windows and macOS.

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5月8日，华为在深圳举办鸿蒙电脑技术与生态沟通会，“鸿蒙电脑”正式亮相，意味着国产操作系统在个人电脑（PC）领域迈出关键一步。华为终端BG平板与PC产品线总裁朱懂东宣布，华为终端全面进入“鸿蒙时代”，华为智慧办公全新升级为鸿蒙办公。

据了解，鸿蒙电脑历经五年布局，集结了一万名顶尖工程师，联合20多家研究所，已经积累超2700项核心专利。从操作系统看，鸿蒙电脑搭载了HarmonyOS5，采用鸿蒙内核，依托分布式软总线技术，鸿蒙电脑可以提供自然、无缝、无感的跨设备互联体验，支持与华为手机、电脑、平板三设备键鼠共享。

从应用生态来看，目前已有300多个融合生态应用完成了与鸿蒙电脑的适配，预计今年底将有超过2000个应用完成适配。从设备兼容方面来看，鸿蒙电脑已支持超1000款外部设备连接，包括超800款标准外设，覆盖键盘、鼠标、显示器等20多个品类，同时鸿蒙电脑还支持超250款非标准外设，覆盖打印机、手写板、扫描仪等品类。

坤姐闯江湖：首款鸿蒙电脑震惊世界！国产操作系统威武！美主持人承认华为打不倒。