HarmonyOS 6

HarmonyOS 6 Public Beta: AI Everywhere, Compatible with Apple Ecosystem

Honghao Wang

— 4 min read
HarmonyOS 6 Public Beta: AI Everywhere, Compatible with Apple Ecosystem

One-Year Anniversary of “Pure-Blood HarmonyOS”: From Usable to Truly Enjoyable

Today marks the first anniversary of Pure-Blood HarmonyOS — HarmonyOS 5, hailed as one of the fastest-growing operating systems in history.

  • 23 million+ devices now run HarmonyOS
  • Full coverage of major apps is achieved
  • The OS has expanded into PC ecosystems

Yet, compared to the mature app ecosystems of iOS and Android, native HarmonyOS has been merely “usable.”

The release of HarmonyOS 6 signifies a major leap — from usable to truly enjoyable.

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From More to Better: Ecosystem Evolution

Sharp Focus on Applications

Unlike prior updates focused mostly on system enhancements, HarmonyOS 6 zeroes in on strengthening the application ecosystem.

  • Over 30,000 HarmonyOS apps now in development/maintenance
  • Coverage of 90%+ of active user time
  • Long-tail apps joining steadily
  • Strong mobile gaming ecosystem growth
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Catching Up on Quality

Many apps have taken the first step of porting to HarmonyOS, but still lack full feature parity.

For example:

  • Apps like WeChat and Douyin retain only core functions; experience trails other OS platforms.
  • HarmonyOS 6’s theme is catching up and surpassing competitors.

At the launch, major partners — Tencent, Alipay, Meituan, JD.com — joined Huawei on stage, signaling deep collaboration.

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Feature Improvements

  • WeChat updates monthly with significant improvements.
  • Taobao flash sales now support WeChat Pay.
  • Douyin has better group buying integration.

While core functions are a priority, UX refinements greatly improve satisfaction.

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Exclusive HarmonyOS Features

Some apps debut features first on HarmonyOS:

  • JD.com high-precision AR preview
  • Explore full 3D scenes
  • View products in detail from multiple perspectives

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Openness for AI Agents

Huawei’s HarmonyOS Agent Framework empowers third-party apps:

  • 80+ adapted apps so far
  • Sectors: entertainment, travel, content creation
  • Enables embedded AI agents per app — unique to HarmonyOS

Example: JD.com shopping assistant that:

  • Recommends products
  • Compares offers
  • Handles aftersales queries
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System-Level Enhancements in HarmonyOS 6

Lock Screen Art Signature

AI-powered customization:

  • Auto-generate wallpapers
  • Personalize font styles
  • Create unique lock screens
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Performance Boosts

Improvements at the core computing level:

  • Parallel computing enhancements
  • Compute-storage substitution
  • End-cloud collaborative computing

Results:

  • E-commerce purchase-to-payment: 20% faster
  • 1GB PDF opens in 0.6 seconds on HarmonyOS PCs

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Cross-Platform File Sharing

  • Supports Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS file transfers
  • HarmonyOS now meets the “AirDrop” convenience standard
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Integrated AI Experiences

Quick Notes

  • Accessible via sidebar or control center
  • Save links directly to Notes
  • AI generates summary cards automatically

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Creator Ecosystem Synergy

AiToEarn官网 mirrors HarmonyOS’s AI integration vision:

  • AI-powered content creation + publishing + analytics
  • Multi-platform publishing to Douyin, Kwai, WeChat, Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, X (Twitter)
  • Directly links tools to revenue streams
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AI Photo Editing

  • Converse with Xiaoyi AI for edits
  • Apply soft light, change backgrounds, add/remove elements
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Xiaoyi Upgrades in HarmonyOS 6

Key improvement: Third-party app integration

  • Command Xiaoyi to book flights, shop online, etc.
  • Tasks completed in the background while you continue other activities
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Automation

Example automations:

  • Lower volume when Douyin/Rednote opens at work
  • Launch daily coin collection app at a fixed time

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Professional Functionality

  • Fetch professional knowledge online
  • Analyze local documents
  • Build complete PPT presentations
  • Collaborate with external AI agents (e.g., hospital registration via Ant Health Butler)
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Dialect Support

  • Understands and replies in 16 dialects
  • Makes AI interaction more natural and personal

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Developer–User Co-Creation

Yu Chengdong’s Summary

> At first, you really like HarmonyOS. After a while, it feels a bit awkward. Then after a few more days, you like it even more.

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Ecosystem Building

  • Requires mature app arrays, strong system performance
  • HarmonyOS developer conferences as open invitations
  • Partnership with top Chinese tech firms: Tencent, Taobao, ByteDance, JD.com, Meituan

Key dynamic:

  • Huawei lays the road
  • Developers pave it
  • Users validate it

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Community Feedback

  • Over 2 million wish lists submitted by users
  • Updates more than once a month
  • Fast iteration based on user input

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Trust as Growth Driver

For HarmonyOS, trust means:

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Official Upgrade List

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As HarmonyOS matures, open tools linking creators, developers, and audiences become crucial. Platforms like AiToEarn are prime examples — global, open-source, AI-driven publishing and monetization hubs spanning multiple channels, just as HarmonyOS aims for an integrated, participatory ecosystem.

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Conclusion:

HarmonyOS’s journey from usable to truly enjoyable is underway.

The leap to HarmonyOS 6 brings ecosystem maturity, smarter AI, faster performance, and stronger developer-user synergy.

The road ahead is long, but Huawei is not walking it alone — the OS grows through shared creation.

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