Huawei’s HarmonyOS 6 Launches 50+ AI Agents in Android Rival

Key Points

• Huawei debuts HarmonyOS 6 with AI agents built into the OS.
• Over 50 AI agents to launch, backed by Chinese tech giants.
• HarmonyOS ecosystem now has 8M developers and 30K+ apps.
• New Pangu 5.5 AI model targets five major industries.

Huawei’s latest move in the mobile OS race signals a deeper focus on artificial intelligence—and it’s not just a feature. In HarmonyOS 6, AI is the foundation.

Announced at a recent developer event, HarmonyOS 6 features a completely reimagined framework built around AI agents. These agents act more like smart assistants than traditional app tools. Instead of waiting for user input, they actively learn behaviors, anticipate needs, and take action based on context.

What sets HarmonyOS 6 apart is the HarmonyOS Agent Framework, a toolkit for developers that allows them to build AI agents without needing to create massive models from scratch. It simplifies AI integration, making it easier to deploy intelligent features across devices.

HarmonyOS 6 is here! At the Huawei Developer Conference 2025, a bunch of new features were introduced for the all-scenario intelligent operating system, HarmonyOS 6. Set to further evolve, it will debut on June 20th in Dongguan, Guangdong.

This announcement was made by Yu… pic.twitter.com/6IZOPUVpyW

— Johannes Maria (@luo_yuehan) June 21, 2025

Huawei’s Richard Yu, head of its consumer business group, revealed that more than 50 AI agents will launch with HarmonyOS 6, including collaborations with major Chinese platforms like Weibo and Ximalaya. Although the public launch date remains undisclosed, the developer beta is already underway.

Huawei is pivoting away from traditional app-focused systems, leaning into a future where OS-level intelligence is the main differentiator. Instead of serving solely as an app launcher, HarmonyOS 6 functions more like an intelligent assistant that manages your device.

This mirrors broader industry shifts seen with Meta’s AI investment and OpenAI’s growing role in defense contracts, as AI becomes a core part of strategic tech development.

Huawei opens HarmonyOS 6 to developers, unveils AI agents and cloud architecture updates

The tech giant did not give a public launch date for the latest version of the operating system, but said it will be more intelligent and openhttps://t.co/gkKzq5Pm8W

— Shehzad Younis شہزاد یونس (@shehzadyounis) June 21, 2025

Metrics, Market, and the Power of Pangu AI

Beyond AI agents, Huawei is building a tech stack that could reshape how users and enterprises interact with devices.

The HarmonyOS ecosystem has hit major milestones:

• 8 million registered developers

• Over 30,000 atomic services and apps

• Runs on more than 40 different device models

These atomic services are lightweight, run without installation, and are optimized for real-time performance—ideal for fast, smart user interactions.

Despite facing an uphill battle against global platforms like Android and iOS, Huawei’s focus is on user engagement, not raw app numbers. Yu highlighted that 99.9% of user time on Huawei devices is spent on the top 5,000 apps, showing a targeted approach to ecosystem growth.

• From the Mobile Newswire:
Huawei Expands HarmonyOS 6 with AI Push

Huawei launches HarmonyOS 6 beta for developers, revealing advanced AI agents and a revamped cloud architecture to rival Android.

At a Glance:

• HarmonyOS 6 enters beta for developers
• Introduces…

— Mobile News Wire (@MobileNewsWire) June 21, 2025

At the same time, Huawei is making strong moves in the AI industry with Pangu 5.5, its latest AI model series.

• 718 billion parameters in its natural language model

• 15 billion parameters in its computer vision model

These are designed for enterprise use across five high-value industries: healthcare, finance, manufacturing, governance, and automotive.

This industrial push shows Huawei’s dual strategy—targeting both consumer ecosystems and enterprise solutions. With US trade restrictions limiting its access to Western tech, Huawei is building self-reliant AI infrastructure that powers both ends, similar to how Germany is planning its own AI cloud project to maintain tech sovereignty.

Huawei unveils a beta version of HarmonyOS 6, making it available to developers, and announces the HarmonyOS Agent Framework to help developers create AI agents (@cocof1026 / South China Morning Post)https://t.co/HNg2WdOH9jhttps://t.co/JgESHmmRZ2https://t.co/ZOzeer2dpR

— Techmeme (@Techmeme) June 21, 2025

Huawei’s Device Ecosystem Grows Beyond Smartphones

Huawei isn’t stopping at mobile. It’s turning HarmonyOS into the heart of a much larger device family.

According to research firm Canalys, Huawei shipped 103 million smartphones and 21 million tablets running HarmonyOS by the end of 2024. These numbers represent rapid growth, with nearly half of all HarmonyOS shipments happening in just one year.

The momentum isn’t limited to phones and tablets. Last month, Huawei unveiled two HarmonyOS-powered laptops, signaling an aggressive expansion into the PC market. This move reflects a broader strategy to create a unified cross-device experience, similar to Apple’s seamless ecosystem across iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

But building a multi-device OS that performs well across such diverse hardware is no easy task. HarmonyOS still faces challenges in global app availability and brand perception outside China.

However, Huawei’s focus on quality apps, AI integration, and system-wide synergy may prove effective—especially in its home market, where regulatory independence and consumer loyalty play major roles.

Interestingly, this trend toward AI-powered ecosystems aligns with growing competition across tech sectors—from Meta’s AI search tools to innovations like the Xbox handheld console that aim to blend hardware with intelligent software.

In essence, Huawei is not just chasing Android or iOS anymore. It’s building an entirely different kind of operating system—AI-driven, vertically integrated, and tailored for both consumers and enterprises.