(Yicai Global) July 28 -- Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies’ new update for its operating system HarmonyOS allows it to function as a ‘super terminal,’ connecting all nearby devices installed with the OS so as to run the same programs, share content and more.

HarmonyOS 3 has a broader scope than the previous version and can support 12 types of end user devices, including mobile phones, tablets, personal computers, printers, smart eyewear and in-car equipment, the Shenzhen-based firm said yesterday.

HarmonyOS 3 will focus on five scenarios including smart travel, sports and health, said He Gang, chief operating officer of Huawei’s Device Business Group. Large-scale upgrading will start in September.

The 'super terminal' feature means that programs, such as Huawei’s new ridehailing platform Pedal Chuxing, can be seamlessly integrated with all sorts of terminal devices. A customer can hail a ride using his or her tablet, watch the taxi approach on his or her cell phone and then make payment on his or her smartwatch.

Such convenience is likely to greatly boost the OS' user base and could push it past 16 percent market share for global active devices, which is generally regarded as the benchmark between success and failure, Securities Daily reported today, citing a market analyst.

“Seizing more than 16 percent market share indicates the operating system is a success,” Wang Chenglu, the creator and former head in charge of HarmonyOS, said when HarmonyOS 2 was launched. By analyzing the performance of previous operating systems, Huawei found that 16 percent market share is the watershed, he added.

HarmonyOS 2 is already being used in over 300 million devices, Yu Chengdong, chief executive of Huawei’s Device Business Group and Intelligent Automotive Solution Business Unit, said yesterday. HarmonyOS’s ecosystem boasts more than 2,000 partners, involving over 170 million devices.

There are now 3.5 billion active devices worldwide that use different operating systems, according to data from China Galaxy Securities. Based on a 16 percent benchmark, this would mean 560 million devices would need to be installed with HarmonyOS in order to indicate success.

Editor: Kim Taylor