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Samsung One UI could use Huawei HarmonyOS instead of Android?

Samsung is the king of the smartphone world, and anyone who knows about the phones surely has seen Samsung devices at least once. However, a few of our readers have come up with a strange question and it’s related to the Chinese market and it’s making sense. So, cutting directly to the chance what would you say if Samsung One UI base on the Huawei HarmonyOS instead of Android? Let’s get into this discussion.
A user today shared a good query to us and asked whether Samsung will install HarmonyOS on its smartphone and what will be the impact of this new inheritance. So, we reach out to a HarmonyOS specialist and one of our colleagues on this matter (anonymous).
So, in this article, we’ll try to explore and present a view along with a good opinion of a specialist on this matter. The matter of our discussion will be based on the following key points.
- HarmonyOS
- Huawei and Samsung
- Chinese market
- Collision with Google
To be mentioned, we’ll be focusing on Samsung’s market in China, which is empowering its competitors in the global market. Here, we’ll also put some light on the area that Samsung could achieve by using HarmonyOS and dropping Android for a specific market.
Time to jump in…
What is HarmonyOS:
HarmonyOS, also known as Hongmeng OS in China, is designed as a multi-kernel architecture base operating system. The main layer of this software has a special IoT technology that allows it to establish a connection among different devices and control them from a single phone.
However, some reports (Arstechnica) have already criticized this software for being an Android Copy + Paste invention.
Huawei said HarmonyOS is open-source software and the Chinese phone maker has said that this OS is ready to be used by other phone makers. Still, Huawei’s operating system and its app ecosystem are far from being complete or compete against the world-renowned – Android, in terms of the application ecosystem outside of China.
“App ecosystem doesn’t “matters” in China, bloatware works,” our colleague told
It’s quite true, Google apps don’t work inside China. Therefore, every app there works alone, which means, each app has its own ecosystem (services) that directly connect users and store its data. Therefore they don’t rely on other apps to work and it has no connection with Google at all or the core Android services.
Therefore, all you need to do is to load an APK file and install it. That’s it!
That’s why the Chinese phones don’t require to have Android certificate and so does HarmonyOS.
Talking short, we’ve experienced the HarmonyOS software on a Huawei smartphone by ourselves. The task execution is fast and the task handling is very efficient. The overall user interface is pretty unique and provides a fast experience that won’t disappoint you if you don’t like to use Google apps.
So, we can get something good out of this if Samsung gets on the HarmonyOS train without worrying about Android because GMS won’t do anything in the Chinese domain.
Samsung in China
Samsung has been alienated from China for a long time, its market share in the smartphone market has been destroyed by the local companies and is now hugely controlled by phone makers including – Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme, and Apple.
The South Korean phone maker had tried different strategies to gain momentum in China but continues to face failures up until now.
According to the information, the Chinese smartphone industry is now at its worst state for the South Korean tech giant. Counterpoint data shows, Samsung, known as the leader in the global smartphone market, is nowhere to be seen in the top smartphone maker and has been listed under “others”.
The collapse of Samsung in China is real and it’s a big slap on its success on the global stage.
But why the Chinese phone market is important?
Simple, it’s the hub of the world’s biggest smartphone consumers that has no boundaries when it comes to smartphone manufacturing as well as consumption.
In the beginning, Samsung held all of the cards in its pocket (full of profit), when the Chinese phone maker wasn’t there. However, with the evolution in the Chinese tech industry, more and more phone manufacturers have emerged and Samsung started fading.
The best instance of this example is Huawei. This Chinese company topped the list of the Chinese market for years, the Chinese phone consumers’ enthusiasm as well as their patriotism heavily supported this brand to dominate the industry.
“The biggest example of the Chinese smartphone market is clearly there. Huawei maintained its second spot in the global market even after being unable to produce new units for around a year (after U.S. sanctions). All because of the help of the Chinese market share that kept the company on the top of the list with ‘handicapped’ ability.” said the anonymous.
The challenge to Samsung:
Samsung is the current leader in the Smartphone industry but for how long? Xiaomi is catching up pretty fast, while Apple maintained its sales as usual. We don’t need to go deeper into this matter, just take a look at this example below:
- Xiaomi has China + Global markets = Increase (Everything to gain)
- Samsung only has Global markets (Everything to lose + Challenges + Pressure to defend the title)
The phone makers have everything to lose and nothing to gain and the roots of this cause are related to the Chinese market.
Huawei and HarmonyOS:
Huawei has been sanctioned by the U.S. in May 2019 and forced to give up on smartphones equipped with Google Mobile Services (GMS). Thereafter, its market began to collapse and users have been unable to access their required services due to the lack of apps they are used to for daily tasks.
Huawei’s smartphone market has been suffered a great loss but its reputation has been managed even until last year when the phone maker has been prohibited from printing new chipsets through chipmakers such as Samsung Foundry and TSMC.
Since Huawei cannot build new devices like before, it wants to expand its footprints in the software industry starting with the HarmonyOS operating system that has been donated to China’s OpenAtom foundation that manages the open-source code. Here we can confirm, Yes! HarmonyOS has the ability to become a base operating system for Samsung One UI (only for the Chinese market).
Thereafter, Huawei could freely promote Samsung among Chinese people.
One thing to rest assured is that this strategy may fail but why not try it when you are working on a “loss = 0” equation? You’ve already lost in the world’s biggest smartphone market, just get it… straight.
Why HarmonyOS?
A report mentioned (via HuaweiCentral) that Huawei is now pursuing a different strategy. This phone maker is selling “third party” phones in its stores. That’s not it, this Chinese company also owns the biggest smartphone stores and service center across the Chinese territory, which is undeniable.
“You cannot deny that Huawei is still a driving force of the Chinese tech industry including Telecom to the consumer market. Where it goes, the Chinese follows.” said anonymous
So, Huawei is looking for something to relieve its smartphone division that is completely destroyed by the U.S. sanctions. However, the search for a big HarmonyOS ambassador is still on and Samsung is the perfect “Traffic Surge”.
“Samsung’s ship in the Chinese (specifically) market has already sunken and it now needs a new strategy that really works. Meanwhile, HarmonyOS is the only option that has the real potential”
The challenge of Samsung starts from the Chinese smartphone industry and makes its way to the global market.
Coming back to the topic, so if, Samsung goes Huawei’s way, it’ll have “high” chances to explore the Chinese smartphone market share. How? As explained above, Huawei needs a big brand ambassador and Samsung could use HarmonyOS based One UI instead of Google’s Android for a specific market but there are dangers in this way for sure.
Samsung and Google:
Samsung’s One UI user interface is known for its simplicity and reachability, making it compact for everyday scenarios. This is a custom software skin that’s based on Android.
Throughout the past years, Google has improved its collaboration with Samsung to the bitter end. The foldable phone series is a great example, Google continues to promote and extend its features for the Galaxy Fold devices and it’s quite been amazing from Samsung’s perspective as well as for the consumers.
So, even though the Chinese market is important for the South Korean Giant, Samsung will have to make a choice and choose wisely so it won’t make its software collaborator angry on the global stage. However, what will Samsung do, when it’ll lose to Xiaomi, just another Google partner that is heading towards the top?
“If Google minds it own business, Samsung should min its own”
Eventually, nothing is certain and it’s up to Samsung to decide whether it wants to use HarmonyOS instead of Android for a specific market and also, how it wants to play against the competitors on the global stage.
News
Samsung Wallet Digital Key now unlocks Volvo Cars and Polestar

Galaxy smartphone users will soon be able to unlock their Volvo Cars and Polestar using the Samsung Wallet‘s Digital Key feature. Today, the company announced that the Digital Key support for select Volvo Cars and Polestar is coming to Samsung Wallet.
Samsung Wallet Digital Key will ensure a seamless unlocking experience with select Volvo Cars and Polestar. The company revealed that users with compatible Galaxy devices can effortlessly unlock, lock, and even start their vehicles.
Volvo Cars Digital Key will rollout to Samsung Wallet this month in Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia. Polestar vehicle owners will also get eligible starting this month in regions including Europe, North America, and Asia.
Woncheol Chai, EVP and Head of the Digital Wallet Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics said:
“Our partnership with automakers such as Volvo Cars and Polestar marks another exciting step forward in making everyday activities like driving hassle-free for more Galaxy users worldwide.”

Image – Samsung
Samsung Wallet’s Digital Key offers three ways to control the car:
- Ultra-wideband (UWB) for hands-free access
- Near Field Communication (NFC) for tap-to-unlock and start
- Bluetooth low energy (BLE) control via Samsung Wallet
Back in 2022, Samsung merged Samsung Pay and Samsung Pass to introduce the Samsung Wallet. Secured by Samsung Knox, Samsung Wallet offers services like digital payments, digital ID, tickets, boarding passes, and digital car keys.
Galaxy devices come pre-installed with the Samsung Wallet app. The company is rapidly expanding the app’s availability to markets globally. The app’s features differ on devices based on the hardware requirements such as NFC and UWB.
News
Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Superfast Charging 2.0 not so super, users report bugs: Samsung plans new One UI 7 update

Samsung has acknowledged bugs in Galaxy S25 Plus and Ultra’s Superfast Charging. It appears to be a widespread problem as the social platforms and Samsung’s Community forums have exploded with similar complaints.
Recently, Samsung Italia acknowledged bugs in Superfast Charging on the Galaxy S25 Plus and S25 Ultra. The vanilla model remains excluded as it doesn’t support 45W superfast charging functionality and is capped at 25W.
The official release has started on February 7 and consumers are gradually receiving their new Galaxy devices. Several owners reported on X, Reddit, and Samsung Community that the new S25 +/Ultra doesn’t properly support 45W charging.
The reason is suspected to be a lack of support for the 5A cable. Samsung’s Italia subsidiary asked a user, while pledging a fix with future One UI 7 update, whether they are using a 5A cable instead of the 3A cable that arrived in the box.
Galaxy S25 Plus and Ultra feature a new charging profile. The company has made hardware-level tweaks to end the necessity of a 5A cable for Superfast charging. The in-box cable of 3A is also capable of charging the phone at 45W.
Samsung fans having a 5A cable and 45W brick may have been charging their S25+ or Ultra with the same products. The shift in the charging profile was probably overseen by the software team resulting in bugs in the Superfast Charging.
It’s worth noting that the lock screen shows Superfast Charging 2.0 but the real experience isn’t the same. The flagship models allegedly take hours to recharge the battery with the same adapter and cable used to charge existing Galaxy devices.

Image – SammyFans
News
Samsung, NVIDIA plot next-gen SOCAMM memory for AI authority

Nvidia is reportedly in talks with Samsung and SK Hynix for a SOCAMM AI chip. The company is accelerating its collaboration with Korean chip makers amid the AI boom.
According to BusinessKorea, Nvidia is pushing Samsung and SK Hynix for commercialization of SOCAMM (System on Chip Advanced Memory Module) AI memory technology.
A report from another trusted outlet suggests that Nvidia, Samsung, and SK Hynix are exchanging SOCAMM prototypes for testing, with mass production expected to start by the end of 2025.
SOCAMM uses low-power LPDDR5X for better efficiency and performance. It can dramatically boost data transfer speeds, which would be crucial for AI computing with extra I/O pins.
SOCAMM’s detachable module design is the biggest strength that lets users easily replace the memory. NVIDIA’s push for its memory standard marks a major shift from the JEDEC framework.
Earlier this year, the US chip giant introduced GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip and Project DIGITS. SOCAMM could be the next-gen HBM with superior performance and power efficiency.
An industry source noted:
“Memory standards have traditionally been determined by a consensus among multiple PC, memory, and server companies at JEDEC, but NVIDIA is pursuing its own memory standard, reflecting confidence in its innovation and influence.”
News
Samsung appoints semiconductor veterans to Board to regain competitiveness

Samsung is about to appoint semiconductor experts to the Board of Directors tomorrow. Eyeing the AI era, Samsung is fortifying the Board with semiconductor veterans to regain competitiveness in the market.
TheChosunDaily reports that Samsung will take the final call on appointing chip experts to the Board tomorrow. In late 2024, the company operated a major executive-level reshuffle – centered on chip business growth.
Samsung is now appointing multiple chip specialists to its Board as part of efforts to restore competitiveness. The Board meeting is set to be held on February 18 to finalize the appointment of internal and external directors.
The Korean tech giant is considering tripling the number of semiconductor experts on the Board from one to three. Currently, Samsung’s Board has nine members including three internal directors and six external directors.
Jun Young-hyun, head of the DS Division (vice chairman and CEO) who oversees semiconductor operations, will be appointed as an internal director.
For the remaining position, technical experts such as Song Jai-hyuk, CTO of the DS Division, and Nam Seok-woo, CTO of the Foundry Business, are being considered.
News
Samsung sweeps ISE 2025 with 12 awards for cutting-edge display technology

ISE 2025 honored Samsung with 12 awards for the best display signage solutions. Samsung and other companies showcased their next-gen display signage technologies at Integrated Systems Europe, Europe’s largest display exhibition.
The 12 awards that Samsung won at ISE 2025 were distributed across a range of its innovative products and initiatives, highlighting its leadership in the digital signage industry. Here’s a breakdown of the products and solutions:
Best of Show Awards (5):
Samsung Color E-Paper:
- This display won three “Best of Show” awards from different publications (AV Technology, Digital Signage, and Installation), recognizing its ultra-bright, lightweight, and energy-efficient design.
HoloDisplay:
- This 3D display also earned a “Best of Show” award from Installation, highlighting its innovative approach to creating floating images.
Interactive Display with Samsung AI Assistant:
- This educational solution received a “Best of Show” award from Tech & Learning, acknowledging its smart features and AI-powered interactivity.
AV News Awards (2):
AV Project of the Year (Commercial) Award:
- This award recognized Samsung’s use of its Outdoor LED Signage XHB series at the Shinsegae Department Store in Seoul, South Korea.
Digital Signage Innovation of the Year Award:
- This award celebrated the Transparent MICRO LED display for its groundbreaking design and functionality.
Inavation Awards (1):
Applied Technology Award:
- This award was given to Samsung for its installation of Onyx LED screens at Pathé Palace in Paris, France.
Top New Technologies (TNT) Awards from Commercial Integrator (3):
All-Weather Display:
- This award recognized Samsung’s OHDX Outdoor Signage 46″ and 55″ models.
TVs:
- This award was given to Samsung’s 2024 HBU8000 Hospitality TV.
Video Monitors:
- This award celebrated Samsung’s QHFX 115″ Smart Signage.
ISE Stand Design Awards from EXHIBITOR Magazine (1):
Sustainability Recognition XL (250 m2 or more):
- This award acknowledged the eco-conscious design of Samsung’s booth at ISE 2025.
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