Huawei is being dishonest in marketing HarmonyOS 2.0 as a brand-new OS; beta reveals it to be an EMUI 11 rebrand based on Android 10

[Redaktion]

Huawei may brag that HarmonyOS 2.0 is a 'brand-new distributed operating system', but Ars Technica has discovered that the company is telling porkies. Instead, HarmonyOS 2.0 is nothing more than a renamed EMUI 11, and one that Harmony requires a passport or a drivers licence to try out.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Huawei-is-being-dishonest-in-marketing-HarmonyOS-2-0-as-a-brand-new-OS-beta-reveals-it-to-be-an-EMUI-11-rebrand-based-on-Android-10.518017.0.html

[Heads up]

Everything that was written in this and Ars Technica's article can be explained in a single term: Android compatibility layer.
This comment from xda sums up my thoughts perfectly so I'll just repost it here.

"It is fake - android is there similar to how linux is available in windows through wsl, but using the same kernel (Linux) and with deeper integration through Ark compiler engine and similar stuff. Android support is completely pluggable.

Also who said adb works natively in Harmony? What if they use an own debug protocol (should check that). Android subsystem most probably works in a sandbox with optional bridging.

It is insecure to modularly plug a set of apps from an other os, which has a completely different security model, into host os. You will definitely sandbox it, resulting in adb seeing its own, dedicated filesystem tree, withouth having access to harmony os filesystem except when given perms by user.

Phone harmonyos is still linux based after all, and thus it has chroot and all these cool things like namespaces, cgroups, etc.

Another example is Anbox - it is a containerized Android runtime for Linux. It uses host kernel through the host kernels isolation methods i just mentioned above. And, oh wow, if you adb to the pc with anbox, you will see android directory structure, not host pc one.

To the author: please, goddamn stop ignoring *official* documentation made by Huawei and Linux kernel developers, knowing that stuff will prevent you from making such articles."

[kek]

Ok, wumao.

Now, tell us why Huawei is still saying this is a "brand new revolutionary OS" when it is still using Android in the background? Why couldnt they say "Ok guys, we are using Android as a base, but with our own interpretation of it"?

A brand new OS would be written from zero for most stuff, including kernel, like SailfishOS and Meego did in its time. Even WP is kind of its own thing for most of the stuff it had.

Of course, there are some general and standard stuff that can be shared between OS but what Huawei did is shameful, not because of their approach, but because of them trying to save face by lying so blatantly.

[TheRealWumao]

Ok, wumao.

Now, tell us why Huawei is still saying this is a "brand new revolutionary OS" when it is still using Android in the background? Why couldnt they say "Ok guys, we are using Android as a base, but with our own interpretation of it"?

A brand new OS would be written from zero for most stuff, including kernel, like SailfishOS and Meego did in its time. Even WP is kind of its own thing for most of the stuff it had.

Of course, there are some general and standard stuff that can be shared between OS but what Huawei did is shameful, not because of their approach, but because of them trying to save face by lying so blatantly.

You do know that when you use "wumao" to call others, you basically invaildate anything you say right lol. Not sure if you know what that word means you poor brainwashed man. Laughing at how ignorant you can be :). Get a life man.

[Gus]

It looks like android
It is identified like android

But Huawei is advertising it like a new os? well well...Chinese doing what it is best at: Copying stuff.

Honestly, I don't know why people even bother with these chinese brands at all. Poor design, copies, and the unsafety of being made in China. 

Id rather pay triple in reputable brands.

[AshNonok]

So it's Okay of Android claims to be a new OS but under the hood it recks with Linux kernel and some gnu library tools. Before you write an article about Harmony OS being a rebranded Android try to think for a minute that Android was never build from scratch either. Android is just a reimplementation of the Linux Kernel without this kernel Android wouldn't been born. Do your research man Huawei is just doing what Android did back in the days claiming that it is a new OS but infact it's just Linux rebranded! Drop the 🎤

[AshNonok]

Everything that was written in this and Ars Technica's article can be explained in a single term: Android compatibility layer.
This comment from xda sums up my thoughts perfectly so I'll just repost it here.

"It is fake - android is there similar to how linux is available in windows through wsl, but using the same kernel (Linux) and with deeper integration through Ark compiler engine and similar stuff. Android support is completely pluggable.

Also who said adb works natively in Harmony? What if they use an own debug protocol (should check that). Android subsystem most probably works in a sandbox with optional bridging.

It is insecure to modularly plug a set of apps from an other os, which has a completely different security model, into host os. You will definitely sandbox it, resulting in adb seeing its own, dedicated filesystem tree, withouth having access to harmony os filesystem except when given perms by user.

Phone harmonyos is still linux based after all, and thus it has chroot and all these cool things like namespaces, cgroups, etc.

Another example is Anbox - it is a containerized Android runtime for Linux. It uses host kernel through the host kernels isolation methods i just mentioned above. And, oh wow, if you adb to the pc with anbox, you will see android directory structure, not host pc one.

To the author: please, goddamn stop ignoring *official* documentation made by Huawei and Linux kernel developers, knowing that stuff will prevent you from making such articles."

"drop the 🎤 bro!" I was about to comment to the author but after seeing your post it changed mind  somebody already taught the lazy author to do a research!

[Heads up]

Ok, wumao.

Now, tell us why Huawei is still saying this is a "brand new revolutionary OS" when it is still using Android in the background? Why couldnt they say "Ok guys, we are using Android as a base, but with our own interpretation of it"?

A brand new OS would be written from zero for most stuff, including kernel, like SailfishOS and Meego did in its time. Even WP is kind of its own thing for most of the stuff it had.

Of course, there are some general and standard stuff that can be shared between OS but what Huawei did is shameful, not because of their approach, but because of them trying to save face by lying so blatantly.

Android is in the FOREGROUND that is visible to users. Harmony's kernel and Arc Compiler does all the jobs in the background. They don't use Android as a 'base', but as a mere surface layer that exists to keep the compatibility with existing Android apps in tact. This shouldn't be too hard to understand.
You should also stop calling people kindly informing others 'Wumao' just because you don't agree with them. It doesn't add anything to the conversation but merely shows that you're a sinophobic prick who likes namecalling others.

[AshNonok]

It looks like android
It is identified like android

But Huawei is advertising it like a new os? well well...Chinese doing what it is best at: Copying stuff.

Honestly, I don't know why people even bother with these chinese brands at all. Poor design, copies, and the unsafety of being made in China. 

Id rather pay triple in reputable brands.

What do you mean so if Google does the copying from the opensource community it's okay? You have double standard sir! Android is a copy of Linux so basically Google copied from us the Linux community. But they also blantly said that Android was original what do you have to say to that!

[Hui]

It looks like android
It is identified like android

But Huawei is advertising it like a new os? well well...Chinese doing what it is best at: Copying stuff.

Honestly, I don't know why people even bother with these chinese brands at all. Poor design, copies, and the unsafety of being made in China. 

Id rather pay triple in reputable brands.

What do you mean so if Google does the copying from the opensource community it's okay? You have double standard sir! Android is a copy of Linux so basically Google copied from us the Linux community. But they also blantly said that Android was original what do you have to say to that!

Android is a branding for certified Google devices in their ecosystem. See the wiki page on this. The OS itself is still open source, so Google contributes to the project and other people like ASOP are free to use it. Only proprietary components like GMS are non-open source. Does Huawei HarmonulyOS contribute to the ope source community? I don't think so.
Linux is open source for anyone to use, but there are licensing conditions. No one says Huawei can't use Linux or open source code, but it needs to acknowledge it as such. If HarmonyOS is based on Android but Huawei does not acknowledge it and instead says it is new, then that is a huge departure from what Google does. That would be theft. Android is also not a copy of Linux. Linux here refers to the kernel. That is what is used under Android. Google legally acquired Android Inc. in 2005, which became a subdivision that created the Android OS using a Linux kernel. The number of things shared between Android OS and Linux is basically the kernel. However the number of things shared by HarmonyOS and Android is way beyond a simple kernel by this article. People who don't know Linux talking about Linux thinking it is like Windows and monolithic, including all sorts of GUI and apps, when core Linux components are extremely light weight and what you call Linux, is nothing more than a kernel.

[sjoif]

Ok, wumao.

Now, tell us why Huawei is still saying this is a "brand new revolutionary OS" when it is still using Android in the background? Why couldnt they say "Ok guys, we are using Android as a base, but with our own interpretation of it"?

A brand new OS would be written from zero for most stuff, including kernel, like SailfishOS and Meego did in its time. Even WP is kind of its own thing for most of the stuff it had.

Of course, there are some general and standard stuff that can be shared between OS but what Huawei did is shameful, not because of their approach, but because of them trying to save face by lying so blatantly.

Android is in the FOREGROUND that is visible to users. Harmony's kernel and Arc Compiler does all the jobs in the background. They don't use Android as a 'base', but as a mere surface layer that exists to keep the compatibility with existing Android apps in tact. This shouldn't be too hard to understand.
You should also stop calling people kindly informing others 'Wumao' just because you don't agree with them. It doesn't add anything to the conversation but merely shows that you're a sinophobic prick who likes namecalling others.

Wumao is a real thing though, it is an army of online misinformation and troll experts supported by the CCP. According to wikipedia: The 50 Cent Party or 50 Cent Army is a term for Internet commentators as being reportedly hired by the authorities of the People's Republic of China in an attempt to manipulate public opinion to the benefit of the governing Chinese Communist Party.

As this is a Huawei article, Huawei gets a lot of CCP support, I'm not surprised to find wumaos around. I'm not saying anyone is, or isn't, but I would be surprised if there weren't any.

[Heads up]

Ok, wumao.

Now, tell us why Huawei is still saying this is a "brand new revolutionary OS" when it is still using Android in the background? Why couldnt they say "Ok guys, we are using Android as a base, but with our own interpretation of it"?

A brand new OS would be written from zero for most stuff, including kernel, like SailfishOS and Meego did in its time. Even WP is kind of its own thing for most of the stuff it had.

Of course, there are some general and standard stuff that can be shared between OS but what Huawei did is shameful, not because of their approach, but because of them trying to save face by lying so blatantly.

Android is in the FOREGROUND that is visible to users. Harmony's kernel and Arc Compiler does all the jobs in the background. They don't use Android as a 'base', but as a mere surface layer that exists to keep the compatibility with existing Android apps in tact. This shouldn't be too hard to understand.
You should also stop calling people kindly informing others 'Wumao' just because you don't agree with them. It doesn't add anything to the conversation but merely shows that you're a sinophobic prick who likes namecalling others.

Wumao is a real thing though, it is an army of online misinformation and troll experts supported by the CCP. According to wikipedia: The 50 Cent Party or 50 Cent Army is a term for Internet commentators as being reportedly hired by the authorities of the People's Republic of China in an attempt to manipulate public opinion to the benefit of the governing Chinese Communist Party.

As this is a Huawei article, Huawei gets a lot of CCP support, I'm not surprised to find wumaos around. I'm not saying anyone is, or isn't, but I would be surprised if there weren't any.

Yeah, I know that they exist on the internet. But that doesn't change the fact that 'kek' guy was being sinophobic, his insult towards me was unnecessary given the context and he made himself look like a douche by adding that single line in his otherwise non-problematic (though inaccurate) comment.

[Lebohang]

The article sounds so shallow even for a non technical person like firstly Emui is not an operating system, but only a customised skin for Huawei devices. Your article is grossly misleading

[S.Yu]

Typical Huawei. Secrecy surrounding their shady business, faking proprietary solutions as part of the scam of snatching government contracts and subsidies, the Party tries very hard to disguise the process of moving money from their left pocket to their right as normal commercial activity of the government-civilian sort, but Huawei needs to put a bit of effort into the disguise on their end as well. A shell like this is also all it takes to please the domestic jingoists.

[T G]

Not really. You are missing the point. HarmonyOS 2.0 has its own kernel, all be it Linux-kernel derived.

Upon their kernel is their KAL, kernel abstract layer.

The KAL serves the similar containerization functions as Linux LXC/LXD layer does, where any user space third party OS can run. In this case, the user space is Android.

Architected in such a way will provide a smooth migration of all the user apps down the road, which is a good transitional strategy.

You can run Unix under Windows 10 server kernel, but you still call it a Windows OS.

What you described is the user space os, not the kernel.

See attached diagram of HarmonyOS 2.0 kernel, KAL, and other system components: