Huawei has announced its new Mate 70 series smartphone lineup, which will be the first to offer the company's HarmonyOS Next operating system that doesn't rely on Google's Android services and won't run any Android apps. This marks a significant shift for the Chinese tech giant, which has been working to develop its own ecosystem following US sanctions.

The four models of the Mate 70, including the Mate 70, Mate 70 Pro, Mate 70 Pro Plus, and Mate 70 RS, will be offered with HarmonyOS Next, which is incompatible with Android apps. However, users will also have the option to opt for Huawei's HarmonyOS 4.3, which is still compatible with Android's extensive app library. According to Reuters, Huawei has secured over 15,000 applications for its HarmonyOS ecosystem, with plans to expand to 100,000 apps in the coming months.

Starting next year, Huawei says all new phones and tablets it launches in 2025 will run HarmonyOS Next. This move is seen as a significant step towards Huawei's goal of reducing its dependence on US technology. The company has been working to develop its own ecosystem, including its HarmonyOS operating system, following a half-decade of US sanctions that have limited its access to US hardware and software.

In terms of specifications, the base model Huawei Mate 70 features a 6.7-inch display with up to 120Hz refresh rates, a 5,300mAh battery, 66W fast charging with a USB-C cable, and wireless charging at speeds of up to 50W. It includes a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12MP telephoto periscope camera with OIS, a 40MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a front-facing 13MP ultra-wide selfie camera. The device starts at 5,499 yuan (around $760) for a version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The higher-end models, including the Mate 70 Pro, Mate 70 Pro Plus, and Mate 70 RS, offer upgraded features such as support for Wi-Fi 7, satellite communications, faster charging, and improved camera sensors. The Mate 70 RS, in particular, features premium build materials like titanium, which bumps its starting price to 11,999 yuan (around $1,657).

Huawei has also announced its new Mate X6, a smartphone with a folding screen. The device features a 7.93-inch internal display and a 6.45-inch external screen, both slightly larger than those offered on the Mate X5. Huawei is using a mix of carbon fiber and aluminum on the X6 for improved durability, which also helps make it slightly thinner — the X6 measures in at 9.85mm thick when folded, and 4.6mm thick when opened.

The Mate X6 standard model will start with 12GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and include a 5,110mAh battery for 12,999 yuan (around $1,790). A collector's edition model will also be available that bumps the starting specs to 16GB of RAM with 512GB of storage with a larger 5,200mAh battery for 14,999 yuan (around $2,060) while also adding satellite communications capabilities.

The move to HarmonyOS Next marks a significant shift for Huawei, which has been working to develop its own ecosystem following US sanctions. While the company has made significant progress in terms of app compatibility, it still lags behind Android in terms of the number of available apps. However, with its plans to expand its app ecosystem to 100,000 apps in the coming months, Huawei is poised to become a major player in the global smartphone market.

As Huawei continues to develop its own ecosystem, it will be interesting to see how the company's decision to move away from Android affects its sales and market share. With its new Mate 70 series and Mate X6, Huawei is clearly betting big on its HarmonyOS Next operating system, and it will be worth watching to see how consumers respond to this new ecosystem.