Hongmeng OS: Huawei founder promises a ‘faster’ Android alternative

Huawei is readying an Android alternative, dubbed as Hongmeng OS. Ahead of the official release, Huawei founder has revealed the company’s new OS will be faster than Google’s.

Here’s what to expect from Huawei’s Hongmeng OS (REUTERS)

Even though Google and Huawei have been given go-ahead to work together again, the Chinese telecom company hasn't shut down work on its Android alternative, Hongmeng OS. Expected to be unveiled at its developer conference in early August, Huawei founder has spilled the beans on its upcoming operating system.

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said in an interview that the company's Hongmeng OS is not just meant for smartphones but will also cover modern categories such as Internet of Things and autonomous vehicles as well as the traditional ones, PCs and tablets. He also said that the new operating system will be much faster than Google's Android and Apple's OS. Zhengfei, however, acknowledged Huawei needs backing of a large app ecosystem and developers which drive Google and Apple app stores.

Zhengfei's latest comments come shortly after Huawei received a big relief with the US President Donald Trump easing export controls on the American companies The brief ban on Huawei is expected to have a big financial impact on the Chinese company. Hongmeng OS, however, could be a window of opportunity for Huawei to become self-reliant at least in terms of software.

Hongmeng OS has been rumoured for quite some time. According to reports, the OS will launch commercially as 'Ark OS' with Huawei Mate 30 or P40 series. The company is also closely working OEMs like Oppo and Vivo on the new mobile operating system. According to a recent report, Huawei's Hongmeng OS is about 60% faster than Google's Android system.