Huawei’s HarmonyOS unseats Apple’s iOS to become China’s No 2 mobile operating platform

HarmonyOS had a 17 per cent share in the first quarter to surpass iOS for the first time in the world’s biggest smartphone market

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The growing domestic adoption of HarmonyOS shows how Huawei Technologies’ strategy to build an Android alternative has started to pay off. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 4:55pm, 15 Jun 2024Updated: 5:16pm, 15 Jun 2024

Huawei Technologies’ mobile platform HarmonyOS has overtaken Apple’s iOS to become the second-biggest mobile operating system in mainland China in the first quarter, according to the latest market data from Counterpoint Research.

HarmonyOS accounted for a 17 per cent share in the first quarter to surpass iOS for the first time in the world’s biggest smartphone market, as strong domestic demand for Huawei’s latest 5G handsets drove up adoption of the Shenzhen-based company’s self-developed mobile operating system, Counterpoint data showed.

US-sanctioned Huawei saw HarmonyOS’ domestic presence more than double, from an 8 per cent share in the first quarter of 2023, on the back of the company’s return to the 5G handset segment last year via its Mate 60 series smartphones.

Apple’s iOS fell slightly behind with a 16 per cent share, while Google’s Android continued to dominate the market with a 68 per cent share in the same period.

A man stands in front of a billboard advertising Huawei Technologies’ Harmony OS at the Smart China Expo in Chongqing on September 4, 2023. Photo: Bloomberg

HarmonyOS’ share is expected to “grow further, as Huawei focuses on supply chain localisation”, according to Counterpoint.

Globally, Android and iOS remained ahead in the March quarter with shares of 77 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively. HarmonyOS had 4 per cent share worldwide in the same period.