What you need to know
- A new report claims Huawei will release its first smartphone with HongMeng OS in Q4 2019.
- HongMeng OS will be showcased at Huawei's Developer Conference in China on August 9.
- The first device to run HongMeng OS will be the Honor Smart TV.
Last month, Huawei's Senior Vice President Catherine Chen claimed that the HongMeng OS is not an alternative to Android and that the company will continue to use Google's mobile operating system in its smartphones. However, a new report China's Global Times suggests the company is testing a smartphone with its HongMeng operating system and may launch it before the end of the year.
As per the report, the Chinese company will formally showcase HongMeng OS for the first time at its Developer Conference on August 9 in Dongguan, China. The first device to ship with Huawei's homegrown operating system will be the Honor Smart TV series, which will reportedly debut on August 10. Eventually, the operating system is planned to be expanded into other areas such as autonomous driving, remote medical services, and industrial control.
The first smartphone to run on the HongMeng OS will debut in the fourth quarter of the year, alongside Huawei's flagship Mate 30 series. If the report is to be believed, the smartphone will be priced at around 2,000 yuan ($288) in China, targeting the low-to-mid-range segment. The report further claims Huawei's homegrown operating system has cryptographic features that will allow it to protect users' privacy better compared to other mobile operating systems. Huawei is also said to be testing the operating system's compatibility with apps designed for Android.
Unlike Android, HongMeng OS is based on a microkernel, which allows it to "better accommodate artificial intelligence (AI) and run on multiple platforms." However, the biggest challenge in front of the company is to attract developers to build a good app ecosystem.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 870 will take 2021 gaming phones to a new level
Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 870 is the company's second flagship chipset to kick off 2021 and will be positioned under the recently announced Snapdragon 888 for upcoming flagship smartphones.

Did Samsung ruin the Galaxy S21 by removing expandable storage and MST?
While the Galaxy S21 is bound to be one of the best Android phones of the year, it's not without some controversy. Here's how our AC forum members feel about the lack of expandable storage and MST.

Android Central's Best of CES 2021
Android Central presents its list of favorites from this year's CES 2021! From real products to concepts, these are some of our favorite devices that we thought deserved a shout out for their innovation.

Grab one of these Huawei P40 Pro cases to keep your phone looking amazing
Did you just pick up the new Huawei P40 Pro, but aren't sure how you want to keep it safe from when "life" happens? We've rounded up the best cases and there's an option available for just about everyone.