HarmonyOS 7 steps into the AI gap Apple left open in China
AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication
Huawei has launched HarmonyOS 7, marking the beginning of the agent era, after Apple confirmed Siri AI would not launch in China. The new OS features the HarmonyOS Intelligent Agent Framework 2.0, which allows for natural-language commands and is centered around Xiaoyi, Huawei's AI assistant. Xiaoyi controls over 2,100 system-level capabilities and coordinates with more than 2,000 third-party AI agents. HarmonyOS 7 also delivers a 15%-plus performance improvement and has already gained significant market share in China, with 19% of the smartphone OS market. The OS is currently in developer beta, with a stable consumer release expected this autumn, and has partnerships with various Chinese companies.
💡 Why It Matters
- · Huawei's forced independence from Google's Android has become a structural advantage in the Chinese market, where Apple cannot deploy its AI feature.
- · The company's ability to optimize HarmonyOS for the Chinese market has allowed it to gain a significant lead over Apple in terms of AI capabilities.