Huawei Technologies announced significant advancements across different fields, including operating systems and artificial intelligence – as it achieved in 10 years what it took the United States and Europe 30 years to accomplish.

Richard Yu, chairman of Huawei's Consumer Business Group, underlined this update during a developer conference in Dongguan, China, as he discussed HarmonyOS, Huawei's proprietary operating system that was launched back in 2019.

Introduced after US restrictions limited its access to Google's Android OS for smartphones, the system now operates on over 900 million devices.

Yu highlighted Huawei's Ascend artificial intelligence infrastructure, which he said was the second most widely used AI platform globally, after chipmaking giant Nvidia, marking a significant achievement in China's AI record and power. 

He added that both Europe and the US have historically taken over operating systems and software markets, but the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) – objects with sensors and software that can connect and exchange data with other devices via the Internet – allowed Huawei opportunities to surpass them.

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Huawei's smartphone division has experienced a revival since the launch of the Mate 60 last year, featuring an enhanced chip made in China. According to Yu, sales of smartphones equipped with HarmonyOS have surged by 68% in the first five months of this year.

In the first quarter of 2024, Huawei's HarmonyOS surpassed Apple's iOS to claim the second spot in China's mobile operating system market, trailing Android with a 17% market share, as reported by research firm Counterpoint.

Back in January, data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) showed that Apple experienced a 2.1% year-on-year slump in smartphone sales in China in the fourth quarter of 2023. Experts say this dip is attributed to heightened competition from local brands, with Huawei leading the way.

The decline points out to challenges Apple is faced with in its third-largest market. In response to restrictions imposed by the US on Chinese apps for security reasons, certain Chinese companies and government entities have prohibited the use of Apple devices.

Despite facing significant setbacks due to US sanctions impacting its smartphone sales, Huawei successfully rebounded last year.