What simply occurred? Huawei’s laptop enterprise is on the verge of a significant shift within the coming weeks. The Chinese language firm could quickly be compelled to desert Home windows, leaving it with restricted choices for persevering with to deliver new PCs to market.
Beginning in April 2025, Huawei will launch new PC fashions that now not use Home windows as their default working system. In accordance with home sources cited by MyDrivers, the Guangdong-based firm could quickly lose the power to promote Home windows PCs to Chinese language prospects. In consequence, Huawei seems to be shifting its focus towards Linux and HarmonyOS, its proprietary working system.
HarmonyOS initially started as a challenge based mostly on the Android Open Supply Challenge and the Linux kernel, permitting compatibility with current Android apps. In 2023, Huawei launched HarmonyOS NEXT, a brand new iteration constructed on a customized microkernel and proprietary know-how frameworks.
In contrast to its predecessor, HarmonyOS NEXT doesn’t assist Android or Home windows purposes. As a substitute, it makes use of a local utility format based mostly on JavaScript, TypeScript, and an optimized compiler designed to speed up JavaScript execution. In 2024, Huawei confirmed its plans to switch Home windows with HarmonyOS for its upcoming PC fashions.
In accordance with Yu Chengdong, govt director and chairman of Huawei’s client enterprise unit, the corporate stays on the US Division of Commerce’s Entity Listing, requiring a particular license to make use of Home windows. Huawei could quickly lose the power to acquire new license renewals from Microsoft, successfully ending the enterprise relationship between the 2 firms.
In consequence, present Huawei PCs would be the final programs offered with a Western working system. The Chinese language producer is reportedly making ready to launch a brand new “AI PC” that includes its proprietary Kunpeng CPU and the most recent iteration of HarmonyOS NEXT. This technique, anticipated to debut subsequent month, may also embrace purposes powered by DeepSeek’s controversial giant language mannequin.
Along with its HarmonyOS-based PC, Huawei is growing a Linux-based system, in keeping with MyDrivers. The upcoming MateBook D16 Linux Version will characteristic the identical {hardware} as the usual MateBook D16, with an unnamed Linux distribution changing Home windows.
Whereas Huawei sells hundreds of thousands of PCs in China, Home windows compatibility stays a key requirement for a lot of home prospects. In 2024, the corporate said that greater than 10,000 apps and providers had been out there on the HarmonyOS platform, with notable adopters such because the Shanghai municipal authorities.
