Yes. Huawei confirmed and began HarmonyOS NEXT beta testing in 2024. The restricted developer and “pioneer user” beta started on June 24, followed by staged recruitment in July and August. Public beta testing began in October for more models. This was a China-first, approval-based program—not a universal update for every Huawei device worldwide.
What Huawei actually confirmed
At HDC 2024 on June 24, Huawei announced that HarmonyOS NEXT beta upgrades had begun for developers and selected early users. The announcement marked the start of testing, not a finished consumer release. Huawei later used the commercial name HarmonyOS 5 for the first production generation associated with the NEXT transition.
The distinction matters: “HarmonyOS NEXT” described the major platform transition, while “HarmonyOS 5” became the consumer-facing generation name in Huawei’s October announcement. Huawei’s October release notice used both labels together: HarmonyOS 5 announcement.
HarmonyOS NEXT 2024 timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| January 2024 | Huawei recruited individual developers for an early HarmonyOS NEXT preview program through its developer portal: developer preview page. |
| June 24, 2024 | Huawei announced the developer and pioneer-user beta at HDC 2024: Huawei’s HDC announcement. |
| June 2024 | The first recruitment phase covered selected Mate 60 models, Mate X5 models and the MatePad Pro 13.2-inch. |
| July 2024 | A second recruitment phase opened for eligible developers and pioneer users: Huawei beta phase two. |
| August 2024 | A third recruitment phase continued staged application review and beta pushes: Huawei beta phase three. |
| September 26, 2024 | Huawei announced that public beta activity would begin on October 8: Huawei ecosystem announcement. |
| October 8, 2024 | The announced public-beta phase began for eligible devices. |
| October 22–23, 2024 | Huawei formally announced HarmonyOS NEXT/HarmonyOS 5 and expanded public-beta access to additional models: October announcement. |
Developer beta and public beta were different
Restricted developer and pioneer-user beta
The June, July and August phases were controlled tests. Huawei’s recruitment terms required steps such as real-name verification for developers, acceptance of a confidentiality agreement, an assessment and Huawei approval before a beta build was pushed. That process was closer to a managed test program than to a normal over-the-air update.
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Public beta
“Public” meant a broader pool of approved owners of selected models, not unrestricted access. Huawei announced October 8 as the public-beta start and added more devices later that month. Availability still depended on the exact model, software baseline, region and enrollment status.
Which phones and tablets were eligible?
Initial beta devices
- Huawei Mate 60
- Huawei Mate 60 Pro
- Huawei Mate 60 Pro+
- Huawei Mate 60 RS Ultimate Design
- Huawei Mate X5
- Huawei Mate X5 Collector’s Edition
- Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2-inch
Huawei’s first three recruitment notices list these devices: phase one, phase two and phase three.
Additional public-beta devices
- Huawei Pura 70 series
- Huawei Pocket 2 series
- Huawei MatePad Pro 11-inch 2024
These were included in Huawei’s October public-beta expansion. A commercial product name alone does not prove eligibility: China-market and international variants can use different firmware, services and update channels.
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Was the beta available globally?
The evidence supports a China-first rollout. Huawei’s enrollment pages are mainland-China developer pages with Chinese-language terms, participant screening and approval-based pushes. Huawei’s public announcements also focused on the Chinese ecosystem and China-market devices. An industry assessment published in December 2024 likewise described the public beta as China-focused and said a comparable global rollout date was uncertain: Omdia report.
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Owners outside China should not assume that an international Mate 60, Pura 70 or tablet can enroll. Huawei did not announce a broadly equivalent worldwide beta in these release notices.
What changed in HarmonyOS NEXT?
A more native application ecosystem
Huawei presented NEXT as a move toward native HarmonyOS applications instead of relying primarily on Android application compatibility. At HDC 2024, Huawei said more than 1,500 native applications had been completed and published; by September it reported 10,000 applications and services in its ecosystem. Those are Huawei-reported figures, not independent counts, and they do not establish that every international app or feature was available.
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Cross-device operation
Huawei described NEXT as a full-scenario system designed to coordinate phones, tablets, cars, smart-home products and other devices. Cross-device sharing and continuity were central design goals, although the available experience depended on compatible Huawei products and services.
AI, security and interface changes
Huawei highlighted “Harmony Intelligence,” system-level security, redesigned interaction, rendering and smoothness improvements. These are vendor claims; the announcements do not provide independent benchmarks proving a particular performance or security gain on every device.
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Strategically, Huawei was building a more independent software platform. Practically, “Android replacement” is too broad without specifying the user and region.
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- PRIVACY DISPLAY: Automatically hide your screen from those beside you. The built-in privacy display can be preset¹ to turn on when receiving notifications, typing passwords, or using specific apps
- TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist² with Galaxy AI.³ Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
- NIGHTS, CAPTURED CLEARLY: From gigs to city lights, record and capture moments after dark with clarity using Nightography so your photos and videos stay crisp and clear on your Samsung Galaxy
- MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile phone, whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more⁴
- HELP THAT KEEPS UP: Stay in the moment while Now Nudge with Galaxy AI helps you respond faster and stay organized with smart suggestions⁵ that appear exactly when you need them on your phone
- Apps: The transition depends on native HarmonyOS apps. Huawei’s ecosystem totals do not guarantee availability or feature parity for every popular international application.
- Google services: Nothing in these announcements indicates that NEXT restores Google Mobile Services on Huawei devices. Users who require Google apps should verify the exact regional software situation before enrolling or buying.
- Compatibility: Existing Android-app behavior can vary by device, build and application. Do not assume that every Android app will work—or that every app will stop working—without a model-specific notice.
- Region: China-market firmware, AppGallery content, payments, languages and update channels may differ substantially from international Huawei software.
Should you install the beta?
There is no universal recommendation. The beta made sense primarily for developers and enthusiasts with a compatible China-market device and a backup phone.
Use this checklist before enrollment
- Confirm that Huawei lists your exact model and regional variant for the relevant beta phase.
- Check that the required baseline firmware is installed and that your device is eligible in Huawei’s official enrollment channel.
- Back up photos, messages, authenticator data and other essential files locally or through an appropriate cloud service.
- Confirm your Huawei account credentials and ensure you can access recovery instructions.
- Check whether banking, enterprise authentication, travel, messaging and Google-dependent apps are essential to your daily use.
- Read the build-specific rollback terms. Rollback may erase the device and require a particular software baseline.
- Install only through Huawei’s official enrollment and update channels; avoid modified firmware, unofficial flashing packages and third-party enrollment services.
Who should avoid it?
A beta is a poor fit for a primary phone, a device needed for emergency communication, or a handset used for work, banking or travel without a backup. Bugs, missing applications, battery drain, connectivity failures and data loss are normal risks of unfinished software.
What the 2024 confirmation meant
Huawei’s announcement was more than a future promise: testing had already started in June 2024, public beta expanded in October, and the company was moving toward a commercial HarmonyOS 5 generation. It was also not a worldwide software switch. The program was selective, model-specific and centered on China, while Huawei worked to grow a native application ecosystem and reduce reliance on its earlier Android-compatibility model.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did Huawei confirm HarmonyOS NEXT in 2024?
Yes. Huawei announced the developer and pioneer-user beta on June 24, 2024, then announced public-beta activity for October.
Could every Huawei phone install the beta?
No. Enrollment was limited to listed models, approved participants, required software baselines and eligible regions, primarily in China.
Was HarmonyOS NEXT the same as HarmonyOS 5?
They were closely related labels. HarmonyOS NEXT described the platform transition, while HarmonyOS 5 was the commercial generation name used in Huawei’s October 2024 announcement.
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