Huawei Mate 70 coming with dual OS support?

How would you like a smartphone with two operating systems? If you want to give it a try, you might want to be on the lookout for the upcoming Huawei Mate 70.

If a recent claim made by a Weibo (that's China's biggest social media platform) tipster turns out to be true, the Mate 70 could very well turn out to be a device that support's both Android and HarmonyOS, Huawei's mobile operating system.

Days ago, the Far East giant that is Huawei finally released HarmonyOS Next, its own iOS and Android alternative after teasing it for quite some time.

Huawei launched HarmonyOS in August 2019 as an alternative to Android after being added to the US trade blacklist, which limited its access to US technologies. Today, HarmonyOS powers over 900 million devices, and Huawei has attracted 2.54 million developers, according to Chen Xinxin, general manager of HarmonyOS industry solutions. To bolster the growth of its ecosystem, Huawei plans to invest more than 7 billion yuan (around $987 million) in native applications and technical services.

HarmonyOS Next, though, is different – it's being touted as a "pure blood" version of the OS. It's because it no longer supports Android-based apps like previous Harmony versions. The new platform has been entirely developed in-house, making it fully independent and self-sufficient.

While this could be cool with Huawei users in China, almost everybody else in the global market will want one or more of those well-known Android apps that they've grown accustomed to.

That's why the global version of the Huawei Mate 70, if there's such a model, could come with a dual-OS support.

Tech leaker RuiPlaysDigital suggests that Huawei’s upcoming Mate 70 series might feature a "dual-framework" software design. This setup would include both HarmonyOS Next, Huawei’s proprietary operating system, and support for Android apps, which could help the company appeal to both Chinese and global markets.

Even if HarmonyOS Next provides a faster, better overall experience for Chinese users, Android users across the globe will want to get theirs. At a minimum, this equates to the ability to access Google apps. Due to ongoing US trade sanctions, Huawei cannot pre-install Google Mobile Services (GMS), which limits access to widely-used apps like Gmail, YouTube, and the Play Store.

By supporting Android apps, the Mate 70 series would allow users to sideload these services, offering flexibility for those hesitant to fully transition to HarmonyOS Next. A dual-OS phone also provides a safety net for users wary of switching to a new ecosystem. They can experiment with the new operating system while maintaining access to the apps and functions they’re accustomed to, minimizing disruptions and making the transition to a new OS smoother.

Of course, this is just a tipster's claim at the moment, so things could change in time, but the truth shall be revealed in the coming weeks, when the Huawei Mate 70 is expected to be unveiled.