Shock! Huawei’s HarmonyOS NEXT can run Android apps

Contemplating that Huawei’s upcoming HarmonyOS NEXT working system solely runs native apps and has dropped help for Android, it would shock you to be taught that there’s a method for gadgets powered by HarmonyOS NEXT to run Android apps. That’s though Huawei’s working system has completely no Android code and makes use of the Concord kernel, the Cangjie programming language, and the Pangu AI mannequin.

Lately Huawei introduced that every one of its 2025 releases, together with the not too long ago unveiled flagship Mate 70 line, can be pre-installed with HarmonyOS Subsequent. Huawei is at the moment working a public beta of the brand new working system. Lately a beta tester posted on Reddit about an Android emulator discovered on the AppGallery, Huawei’s app storefront. The emulator may be discovered underneath its title, “EasyAbroad.” Curiously, it’s developed for these with Huawei gadgets who work outdoors of China and will need to have Google Cellular Companies (GMS).

With “EasyAbroad,” the person can set up Android apps akin to YouTube, Instagram, Fb, Google Search, Google Maps, Chrome, Gmail, Disney Plus, Netflix (in SD high quality solely), and extra from the software’s personal app retailer. The app retailer seems as a folder on the smartphone’s residence display screen. You’ll be able to’t pull out apps from the folder and place an app icon on the telephone’s display screen. Moreover, there may very well be some points receiving alerts and notifications usually despatched to the person of those Android apps.

The EasyAbroad Android emulator may be present in Huawei’s App Gallery. Picture credit-@Energetic-Get better-4013

“EasyAbroad” is out there on the newest model of the HarmonyOS Subsequent beta. A YouTube content material creator examined the emulator and located that the Android apps loaded rapidly and for essentially the most half, ran easily utilizing microG. The latter is a free and open-source implementation of proprietary Google libraries. It replaces Google Play Companies on Android and delivers vital Google Play Companies performance to these with no Google account or a connection to Google’s servers. Because of microG, the software is not going to run any Android app that has been blacklisted.

It was again in 2019 when Huawei was positioned on the Entity Listing by the Trump administration that the corporate misplaced the flexibility to entry its U.S. provide chain. That included Google which prevented Huawei from utilizing the Google Cellular Companies model of Android main Huawei to develop HarmonyOS.