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Published on
March 20, 2025
5 min read
Huawei Shifts to Android, Launches Foldable Pura X Smartphone on HarmonyOS 5
Chinese smartphone giant Huawei has launched a foldable phone model called Pura X, CNBC has reported. Huawei’s Pura X runs on an operating system developed by the company as the smartphone giant seeks to develop an alternative to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.
Shift from Android
The new Huawei Pura X smartphone is critical to the Chinese tech giant for various reasons. First, it is the first smartphone to run on the company’s operating system, HarmonyOS 5. Huawei first unveiled the operating system in November 2024 as Harmony OS Next. The system is no longer using the open-source code from Google’s Android operating system.
In China, Huawei is emerging as a fierce competitor of US iPhone maker, Apple. Huawei’s market share in China increased by 16.2% in quarter four of 2024 compared to 13.7% the year before. On the flip side, Apple’s share of the Chinese market reduced from 20% in 2023 to 17.4% in 2024.
Another reason why Pura X is critical for Huawei is the need for the smartphone company to expand its domestic market. Since 2023, Huawei has worked to revive its domestic smartphone business after US sanctions affected its sales. The company has been aggressive in unveiling unusual devices, including a trifold mobile phone, in a bid to differentiate itself in the market.
Huawei’s decision to cut ties with Google’s Android operating system appears to be strategic and significant. In 2019, US-imposed sanctions pushed Google into terminating its partnership with Huawei. The latest decision ensures that Huawei’s smartphone business does not suffer losses in light of the ongoing US-China trade war.
AI Features
Pura X is part of Huawei’s premium Pura brand. Huawei’s Chairman for Consumer Business Group said the device is supported by a range of features including mobile payments and phone calls. The device folds into a compact square, creating a 3.5 inch display with a front camera.
When unfolded, Huawei Pura X has a 6.3 inch display. With a 16:10 aspect ratio, its screen area is wider compared to that of many smartphones in the market. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer has also included AI features in Huawei Pura X. The phone comes with an AI assistant called Xiaoyi, which is powered by Huawei’s AI models as well as models developed by Chinese AI startup DeepSeek.
The new smartphone is not does not run on the Android operating system. Pura X is the second smartphone that Huawei has developed on its updated system. The first one is the Mate 70 series that the company launched in November 2024.
A Major Comeback
Huawei’s strong comeback in the smartphone market signals Chinese resilience in the face of US restrictions on technology. In 2023, the smartphone company surprised industry observers when it developed an in-house 5G chip that it used in Mate 60. The company also surprised the world when it unveiled Mate 60 in 2024. Mate 60 is the first trifold phone in the world.
Although Huawei has no access to the most advanced chips, the company claims that its HarmonyOS offers a 40% performance improvement over Android. Earlier this month, Huawei said more that 20,000 native apps and services are already running on HarmonyOS Next. 20 of these apps have already surpassed 2 million downloads. The company is working on shifting all its tablets and smartphones to the new operating system this year.
The starting price of Huawei Pura X is $1,037 (7,499 yuan). This price disqualifies the smartphone from the subsidy scheme offered by the Chinese government. The scheme offers a 15% subsidy for the purchase of tablets, smartphones, and smartwatches with a retail price of 6,000 yuan and below. The foldable smartphone is available in five colors.
