Summary of Key Points
Huawei has been forced to accelerate the development of its HarmonyOS PC ecosystem due to its inability to obtain Windows licenses and limitations in chip supply. At present, it is focusing on extreme hardware innovation with products such as the 798-gram ultra-lightweight Notebook MateBook Pro S and the 18-inch foldable MateBook Fold as breakthroughs. By reducing weight and adopting larger screen sizes, Huawei aims to attract users to try out its new operating system while avoiding direct competition with the Windows software ecosystem. However, this approach poses significant challenges, including a lack of ecosystem applications, high costs, and difficulties in penetrating the commercial market. The success of this strategy ultimately depends on pricing, user loyalty, and the return on investment in the ecosystem.
1. The "Hardware-Driven Ecosystem" Strategy: Why Not Focus on Software First?
Huawei's situation is quite passive; it will no longer be able to use Windows licenses starting in 2025, and it faces chip supply issues, necessitating the development of its own chips, operating system, and application ecosystem. However, building a software ecosystem cannot be achieved overnight. Windows has decades of experience and offers a wide range of applications, from Office to professional design tools, while HarmonyOS currently only has around 19,000 apps, which is a significant gap.
To address this, Huawei has adopted a strategy of using the uniqueness of its hardware to encourage users to switch to its operating system. For example, the ultra-lightweight notebook makes it convenient for users to carry around without a heavy computer, and the foldable screen provides new办公 possibilities. Users may overlook minor software shortcomings (such as a lack of certain professional tools) due to these advantages. Once users become accustomed to HarmonyOS, Huawei can gradually expand its ecosystem—this is a pragmatic choice under the given constraints.
2. The 798-Gram Ultra-Lightweight Notebook: Achieving Weight Reduction While Maintaining Performance
The MateBook Pro S weighs only 798 grams through meticulous design choices:
- Components made of magnesium-lithium alloy (25% lighter than regular metals);
- High-silicon batteries (10% lighter);
- A three-section motherboard that integrates over 2,000 components while still being 42% lighter;
- Reduced weight in the cooling system, keyboard, and speakers.
However, being lightweight alone is not enough; the device must also perform well. Huawei has equipped it with the Kirin XE90 processor, which promises 20W of performance and a battery life of up to 18 hours. The HarmonyOS has also optimized power consumption for interfaces and graphical tasks.
There are some drawbacks, such as high material costs (magnesium-lithium alloy is expensive) and difficult repairs due to the high degree of component integration. Additionally, it is not the thinnest and lightest option on the market—Fujitsu offers a 634-gram model, but its design uses different materials and lacks the same premium feel. Huawei focuses on creating a high-end, lightweight product that avoids areas where Windows excels, such as gaming and professional software, emphasizing portability and hardware-software integration.
3. The Foldable Screen Laptop: Changing the Game to Define New Rules
Foldable screens represent a different approach for Huawei. Since standard laptops cannot compete with Windows in this area, Huawei is trying to establish new standards (e.g., how users should interact with the screen and how software should be adapted). The MateBook Fold can be used as a laptop, a large screen, a dual-screen device, or even a digital pad. For instance, it allows users to split the screen to view documents while typing, or use it to connect external devices for handling phone recordings or images.
The cleverness of this approach lies in the fact that Windows does not have an absolute advantage in the foldable screen market. Huawei can play a role in setting these standards. However, previous attempts by Lenovo and ASUS with foldable PCs did not succeed due to issues such as high prices, poor screen durability, and lack of clear use cases for most users.
Huawei targets professionals in finance, creativity, and business sectors, but currently, only a few software providers (like Eastmoney and Wukong Image) have adapted their products to HarmonyOS. To attract a wider audience, Huawei needs to demonstrate that foldable screens are essential for certain tasks.
4. The Challenges of the HarmonyOS PC Ecosystem
Huawei faces three major challenges:
1. Lack of an ecosystem: With only 19,000 apps compared to Windows' millions, HarmonyOS has a significant gap.
2. Challenging market conditions: PC demand is expected to decline by 14% in 2026, and tablet demand by 11%. Rising DRAM prices have increased laptop costs by 20%-40%, putting pressure on Huawei to subsidize the ecosystem while controlling prices.
3. Difficulties in entering the commercial market: Desktops are a stronghold for Windows (with 41% growth in the first quarter of 2026). Corporate buyers look for customized solutions, services, and software ecosystems. Although Huawei plans to launch commercial desktops in October, it only has 20 partners, compared to Windows' extensive network of service providers.
In contrast to Apple's transition from Intel to M chips, which allowed time for Rosetta 2 to translate old software, Huawei does not have such a buffer period due to the competitive market.
5. Three Critical Questions for the Future
The success of Huawei's hardware-driven strategy depends on three key factors:
1. Pricing: The high cost of the ultra-lightweight and foldable laptops means they must be priced appropriately; too expensive, and they won't appeal to ordinary users; too cheap, and they won't cover development and ecosystem costs.
2. User Adoption: Will users use these devices regularly for work or just as novelty items? If they are seen as "back-up machines," the ecosystem will not thrive.
3. Return on Investment: Can the short-term sales generated by the hardware cover the substantial costs of ecosystem development? Building a software ecosystem requires more than just hardware innovation.
In summary, Huawei's hardware innovations have bought time for its HarmonyOS PC efforts, but it still needs to develop a robust software ecosystem. There is no turning back or shortcut in this battle.
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