Huawei made a notable impact at this year’s ChinaJoy, China’s top digital entertainment expo. The company showcased over 40 video games running on HarmonyOS Next, the latest version of its mobile operating system.
HarmonyOS Next, which no longer supports Android apps, is set to launch commercially with Huawei’s upcoming Mate 70 flagship 5G smartphone series later this year.
Some featured games at ChinaJoy (July 26-29) included Crystal of Atlan by ByteDance, Naraka: Bladepoint Mobile by NetEase, Reverse: 1999 by Guangzhou-based Bluepoch, and Sky: Children of the Light by US studio Thatgamecompany.
This year was Huawei’s first time with a central booth at ChinaJoy, strategically placed within the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.
According to the South China Morning Post, long lines formed at the HarmonyOS booth’s four dedicated sections. Attendees participated in interactive activities, received promotional gifts, and played games on Huawei’s latest smartphones.
“It was great to see Naraka: Bladepoint Mobile, a personal favorite, running on the new system,” said Xu Xiaoyi, a 25-year-old Shanghai resident. Xu, who originally planned to visit NetEase’s booth, was drawn to Huawei’s display and hoped more international titles would support HarmonyOS Next in the future. This growing interest in the platform and its native apps was evident, with the event attracting 369,000 visitors.
Huawei’s presence at ChinaJoy highlights the company’s efforts to build excitement for HarmonyOS Next. The current version has already surpassed Apple’s iOS to become the second-largest mobile operating system in mainland China in the first quarter of 2024.
Launched in August 2019 as an alternative to Android, HarmonyOS emerged in response to US trade restrictions on Huawei. These restrictions, imposed by the Entity List, prevent the company from acquiring US-origin software, chips, and other technologies without government approval.
(Source)
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