A host of new features and updates to Huawei's products are on display at the company's annual developer conference, including Huawei Mobile Services 5.0 and the latest on the firm's HarmonyOS – an alternative to Android. 

According to the CEO of Huawei's consumer products division, the source code for HarmonyOS will be made available from December to software developers who create apps for smartphones. HarmonyOS is so far used only with certain products, including smart TVs, in-car entertainment systems and wearable devices, not the company's smartphones. 

As the tech giant launches the second version of HarmonyOS, can it replace other systems? How big is the impact of the U.S. and other countries turning away from Huawei? And what has the company managed to do despite sanctions and other international pressures? Elliot Zaagman, a co-host of the China Tech Investor Podcast, shared his insights.