Huawei Unveils AI-Centric HarmonyOS 7 Developer Beta in Shenzhen

Overview

Huawei Technologies, headquartered in Shenzhen, released a developer beta of HarmonyOS 7, the new version of its in-house operating system, at the 2026 Harmony Developer Conference (HDC) held in Shenzhen on June 12, 2026. A China Daily report on the announcement was carried on the Shenzhen government's English website on June 15. The new version adds spatial computing capabilities and has been comprehensively upgraded for what Huawei calls the "intelligent agent era". The company says it aims to deliver the industry's first operating system fully rebuilt around AI.

Background

Huawei, headquartered in Shenzhen's Longgang District, is one of China's leading ICT companies and has been promoting its own HarmonyOS across its smartphones and other devices. Globally, the integration of generative AI and large language models into devices and operating systems has been accelerating, and the role of the operating system appears to be shifting from a platform that runs apps to an "agent" that understands user intent and coordinates multiple services. The announcement can be seen as a response to this trend.

Key Points

• Agent-based architecture: Harmony Intelligence now uses an agent-based architecture, and the upgraded Xiaoyi voice assistant is positioned as the "smart nucleus" of the system.
• Spatial computing: The new version adds spatial computing capabilities.
• Multi-device expansion: Huawei says it is developing PCs, smart screens, smartwatches and in-vehicle systems in parallel, aiming for a connected experience across phones, tablets, wearables, PCs and cars.
• Open-source AI model: Huawei open-sourced its openPangu 2.0 large language model, the largest version of which has 505 billion parameters.

Ecosystem indicator (company figures)	Figure
Devices running HarmonyOS 6	More than 66 million
Registered developers	11 million
Apps and services on AppGallery	More than 400,000
Native HarmonyOS adaptations completed	More than 23,000

Yu Chengdong, chairman of Huawei's consumer business group, said HarmonyOS 6 had become the second-largest smartphone operating system in China. All of these figures are based on statements by Huawei executives.

Implications for Japan-Shenzhen Exchange

Competition over AI-centric operating systems is likely to affect not only device makers but also companies that provide apps, content and services. Some observers see support for the HarmonyOS ecosystem becoming one of the prerequisites for Japanese companies offering services in the Chinese market, and developments in this area are drawing attention. In addition, the growing presence of Shenzhen-based companies in foundational technologies such as operating systems and large language models suggests that Shenzhen's industrial structure is extending from hardware manufacturing into software and AI. Keeping track of technology trends in Shenzhen is therefore likely to be valuable for Japanese research institutions and companies as well.

The conference also covered Huawei's large language model development. Yu said much of the company's computing power is used to support other domestic companies, leaving limited resources in-house, and that a model with several hundred billion parameters is intended to achieve better computing efficiency. He also set out the goal of moving from first in China to first in the world. Huawei's direction of developing its operating system and AI models as an integrated whole has thus become clearer. As the numbers of developers and apps grow, new business opportunities may also arise for companies engaged in software development and localization.

Outlook

What has been released is a developer beta, and the report did not indicate when a general release for consumers will be available. The report also did not mention plans for overseas markets, so whether and when the system will be offered outside China, including in Japan, remains unclear.

From the Association

The Association will continue to keep its Japanese members informed about developments in advanced technology among Shenzhen companies. We will also continue to promote exchange between Japan and Shenzhen on technology and industry themes.