Huawei unveils first foldable smartphone with native HarmonyOS Next

Huawei on Thursday unveiled the Pura X, its first foldable smartphone running on HarmonyOS 5, the consumer-facing iteration of its self-developed HarmonyOS NEXT operation system introduced last year.

The phone features a sideways-opening design, resulting in a wider 6.3-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, offering users a tablet-like experience in a compact form.

At the launch event in south China's Shenzhen, Yu Chengdong, head of Huawei's consumer business, said that the official version of HarmonyOS Next offers a significantly different experience, enhancing overall device performance by 40 percent. He also noted that, compared with the iOS system, it is more secure, reducing authorization pop-ups by 76 percent and directly intercepting unreasonable permission requests.

According to Yu, the HarmonyOS Next supports more than 20,000 native applications and has introduced more than 150 system updates. The operating system fully supports the Internet of Everything and AI-powered intelligent experiences.

Highlighted AI features include an assistant available for conversation via the external screen and an AI-powered eye-page-turning function. Chinese tech media outlet GeekPark has hailed the Pura X as "possibly the first generation AI-native smartphone."

Yu also announced plans for a HarmonyOS NEXT-native laptop, expected to launch in May.