Huawei Unveils First HarmonyOS Laptop, Cuts Ties with Windows

Huawei has launched its first laptop powered entirely by its in-house operating system, HarmonyOS, marking a historic break from Microsoft Windows.

This launch comes in the wake of the expiry of Huawei’s Windows license for PCs earlier this year, underscoring its shift toward building a fully self-reliant tech ecosystem.

HarmonyOS 5 (Next): Built for Desktops

The newly introduced laptop runs on HarmonyOS 5, also referred to as HarmonyOS Next. Unlike its earlier iterations that were often compared to Android skins, this latest version has been designed from the ground up as a desktop-class operating system.

It includes:

• A taskbar and bottom dock, much like macOS
• Support for traditional multitasking: resizable and movable app windows
• A custom-built kernel, moving away from Android’s framework

AI at the Core of the Experience

Huawei has positioned AI integration as a central feature in its HarmonyOS-powered laptop. The system comes equipped with Huawei’s smart assistant, “Celia”, capable of performing productivity-driven tasks such as:

• Creating presentation slides
• Summarizing lengthy documents
• Retrieving information from within files (when compatible third-party software is installed)

The device will not support Windows applications or sideloading of third-party apps. It is a significant limitation for some power users. Instead, users must rely on Huawei’s native App Gallery, mirroring the ecosystem approach seen on its mobile devices.

Among the 2,000+ apps available at launch are:

• WPS Office – a Chinese alternative to Microsoft Office
• DingTalk – a workplace collaboration tool developed by Alibaba

The ecosystem is still growing, but Huawei tailors it primarily to Chinese consumers and excludes backward compatibility with older devices.

A Strategic Response to Sanctions

This laptop marks more than a product launch—it’s a reflection of Huawei’s broader response to U.S. trade sanctions, which cut it off from American technologies like Windows and Android. In response, Huawei has doubled down on developing its own alternatives, aiming for complete vertical integration across its devices, smartphones, tablets, and now PCs.

While HarmonyOS Next may present hurdles like the absence of sideloading and backward compatibility, it also symbolizes Huawei’s bold commitment to software sovereignty. As the company pushes further into cross-device ecosystems, it’s clear that Huawei is carving out a distinct path in global tech on its own terms.