In a bold move to compete with established Western technology rivals, Huawei has launched two new laptop models, marking the first time the company's proprietary Harmony operating system is available on its computers. This development comes as the Chinese tech giant continues to navigate U.S. restrictions on its access to crucial chips.

Despite its impressive ascent as a global leader in tech hardware production, China has historically lagged behind in developing robust computer operating systems, with Microsoft's Windows and Apple's macOS dominating the international market for decades. Huawei's latest offering signals a direct challenge to this long-standing duopoly.

The newly unveiled MateBook Fold and MateBook Pro models are powered by HarmonyOS 5, the latest iteration of the operating system that Huawei Technologies began developing in 2015. HarmonyOS first debuted on its Mate series smartphones five years later, and the company initiated the development of laptop prototypes in 2021.

"The Harmony laptop gives the world a new choice," declared Yu Chengdong, head of Huawei's consumer business group, during a livestreamed launch event. He emphasized the company's commitment to innovation, stating, "We kept on doing the hard things but the right things."

Introducing the New Models

The MateBook Fold, an innovative design that eschews a physical keyboard, features an 18-inch OLED double screen when fully extended. Its base model will retail for 23,999 yuan (approximately $3,328). For users preferring a more conventional laptop experience, the MateBook Pro model, equipped with a traditional keyboard, is priced from 7,999 yuan.


Navigating US Restrictions and Building Self-Reliance

The launch of these new laptops comes against a backdrop of ongoing tensions between Huawei and the United States. Washington began imposing restrictions on Huawei's access to U.S. technology in 2019, citing national security concerns. These restrictions have spurred Huawei to accelerate its efforts in building its own capacity for chip development and operating systems.

Huawei stated that the HarmonyOS for computers currently supports over 150 applications, including WPS Office from Kingsoft, a direct competitor to Microsoft's Office suite, and the popular photo editing app Meitu Xiu Xiu. The company's latest annual report indicates that by the end of 2024, over 7.2 million individual developers were actively creating apps for HarmonyOS, which has been installed on more than a billion devices, encompassing smartphones and TVs.

While Huawei did not disclose the specific processing chip utilized in its newly launched laptops, the company attributed the relatively high prices of the computers to the substantial cost of new manufacturing technology required for the chipset. Huawei did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the chip. This follows reports from last year by Reuters that the U.S. had revoked licenses, previously granted to companies like Intel and Qualcomm, that permitted them to supply chips for laptops and handsets to Huawei. Republican lawmakers had notably expressed anger following the launch of Huawei's first AI-enabled laptop, which was powered by an Intel processor.