You'll have noticed the rumpus worldwide over the last few weeks about Huawei and being listed as a banned entity for USA-based companies, with wide ranging implications for the mobile and tech world. Not least because unless things get reversed, Huawei won't be able to use either (Microsoft's) Windows or (Google's) Android on its laptops or phones. Which is why I thought it interesting to hear of Huawei's 'back up plan' of a single, homegrown OS ('Hongmeng') that would work on both form factors and tech sectors. Paralleling in some ways Microsoft's Windows 10 across phone and Desktop. And we all know how that eventually worked out. Still, as I say, 'interesting'!

Some links and quotes then. From CNBC:

Richard Yu, the CEO of Huawei’s consumer division, told German publication Die Welt in a recent interview, that the company has a back-up operating system, in case it’s blocked from using U.S.-made software:

“We have prepared our own operating system. Should it ever happen that we can no longer use these systems, we would be prepared,” Yu said, according to a translation of the original German text. “That’s our plan B. But of course we prefer to work with the ecosystems of Google and Microsoft.”

Yu’s comments were confirmed to CNBC by a Huawei spokesperson on Friday who said the back-up systems would only be used in “extenuating circumstances” and were “there for basic business continuity in a worst-case scenario.”

“We don’t expect to use them and to be honest, we don’t want to use them. We fully support our partners’ operating systems — we love using them and our customers love using them,” the spokesperson said.

And CGTN has more details:

Chinese telecom giant Huawei has registered a trademark for its homegrown operating system (OS) "Hongmeng," a confirmation of the company's longtime efforts to achieve technological self-reliance. The detailed information, which can be found on the website of the Trademark Office of China's National Intellectual Property Administration, shows that the application was submitted on August 24, 2018, and the valid term of the trademark is from May 14, 2019 to May 13, 2029. 

Earlier this week, Richard Yu Chengdong, head of the company's consumer business, revealed that the homegrown OS is likely to be launched as early as this fall and no later than spring next year, according to media reports. This comes as Google cut off Huawei devices from its Android OS following a U.S. order banning the sale of American software and components to the company. Huawei is reported to have started developing its own system since 2012. 

The new OS, which is being tested, will be used as a universal operating system for multiple platforms including smartphone, computer, tablet, TV, cars, and smart wearable devices, Global Times reported, citing Richard Yu. It will also be compatible with all Android apps and Web apps and come with its “App Gallery.”

But Huawei also sees the challenges. "It's not a difficult task to come up with a new OS, but it's difficult to build up an ecosystem for that," Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei said during an interview on Tuesday.

We live in interesting times. Given how Microsoft tried and (arguably) failed in its bid to get 'Windows 10 Everywhere', I do wonder how Huawei will fare with a similar venture, i.e. Hongmeng (it'd need another name, obviously, outside China). Though bear in mind that 50% of its business is within China, and this market is far less Westernised. So who knows?

PS. GSM Arena now reports that 'Hongmeng' could appear as 'Ark OS'.