Huawei reportedly indicated plans to drop support for Android apps in the latest version of its HarmonyOS, which is scheduled to roll out on its smartphones in late 2024.

Since developing HarmonyOS in 2019 in response to US restrictions, Huawei has allowed apps built for Android to be used on it.

However, China Daily reported this will not be possible in the upcoming HarmonyOS Next offering, as the company looks to break away from Android and boost its own software ecosystem.

The latest OS will reportedly also be unable to read Android code.

China Daily reported Huawei used a launch event for the latest OS to reveal it will introduce HarmonyOS Next to developers in Q2 before a commercial launch in Q4.

The next version of Huawei’s Mate smartphone is also expected to run the OS.

Huawei also reportedly announced more than 800 million devices now use HarmonyOS including products from third parties. This is an increase of 100 million over five months.

It apparently also claimed more than 200 leading applications developers had integrated with the HarmonyOS ecosystem.

Yu Chengdong, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, reportedly said the latest HarmonyOS is designed to be more user-friendly, secure, intelligent and interconnected.

“A genuine operating system requires a foundation and an ecosystem”, the executive reportedly said, citing use of the platform across a range of devices.