Next generation Android Version, Android N, is just around the corner and most OEMs are looking forward to upgrading their flagship smartphones to the latest version by early next year. On the other hand, Huawei is looking to launch its own operating system for its smartphones, something other handset makers failed to pursue.
Currently, Huawei’s smartphones do not run on stock Android, they have an EMUI layer on top that makes it distinct from other handset makers. According to The Information, the Chinese manufacturer is developing its own mobile operating system to take on Android, iOS and Windows OS.
Last year, Huawei hired an ex-Apple executive and designer to revamp its UI skin on Android and make it look more like iOS. It looks like the company is not very keen on pursuing Android much and wants to develop its own OS to be its own boss.
Early this year, Google lashed out at OEMs for not releasing regular updates for smartphones and even warned them of serious repercussions in case of failure to provide timely updates and patches. The Information’s report also says that Huawei may be looking to launch its own OS in case there is a fallout with Google in the future.
The company also claims that work has already started in Scandinavia, with ex-Nokia employees a part of the manufacturing. Huawei has been criticized for its poor UI, which makes the company determined to improve and launch its own OS for mobile phones.
Can this OS be equally successful as iOS and Android?
It is very hard to say that an OS from a large smartphone maker will be a success or not, considering Samsung’s bada OS was killed to keep Tizen OS alive, which honestly, isn’t doing well either. Nokia’s old and gold Symbian OS isn’t keeping up well either and is present only in feature phones, no longer attractive.
Huawei built the flagship Nexus for Google this year, Nexus 6P, which was a fantastic phone and it seems quite strange for Huawei to look out for its own OS. Google has always had a symbiotic relationship with smartphone makers, LG, HTC, Motorola and Huawei, that have offered their high-end hardware for the software giant’s Android OS.
Sources close to company claim that OS picks up some design elements from iOS, of course, and a few from Android, in terms of app drawers and intuitive virtual buttons. This could come out like an amalgamation of the two most prominent operating systems, which is not the need of the hour.
Do we need another OS?
Quite frankly, iOS, Android and to some extent, Windows, have kept consumers busy with so many possibilities of tweaking software and its elements. Hardware in smartphones has reached a point of saturation, that one needs to innovate with software to resonate with the technical components.
People are the most averse to change, and the sooner Huawei realizes it, the better it would be for the company. A new OS is not important to consumers right now, in fact an improved EMUI would be the best solution to Huawei’s problems.
Do you think Huawei’s new OS can stand the test of time? Companies like Samsung and Blackberry have failed to impress consumers with their offerings, it is quite possible Huawei sees the same fate and ends up realising its mistake. Watch out for this space as we keep a track of further developments.
Source: The Information
“Early this year, Apple lashed out at OEMs for not releasing regular updates for smartphones and even warned them of serious repercussions in case of failure to provide timely updates and patches. The Information’s report also says that Huawei may be looking to launch its own OS in case there is a fallout with Google in the future.”
Did apple lash out or google? I think it was google.
and apple lashing out at OEMs does not make sense.
Correct me if I am wrong
Corrected. Thanks!
The only chance to challenge ios and android is to do a real GNU/Linux OS for smartphone.
Not an open source one, like android, but a real free software, 100% open, and without any backdoors.
Any other way will fail.