Unleashing Harmony: How Hackers Are Running Android Apps on Harmony OS Despite the Lack of Native Support
A New Tool Allows Huawei Devices to Run Android Apps on Harmony OS Next
TL;DR
- A new tool has been released that enables Huawei devices running Harmony OS Next to launch Android apps like Chrome, Gmail, Spotify, and more.
- This is a notable achievement, as Harmony OS Next doesn’t natively support running Android apps.
- While there are some limitations, Android apps seem to run well, despite these constraints.
When Huawei was banned from using Google Services in 2019, the company was forced to develop its own alternative to Google’s framework. This led to the creation of Harmony OS, which was initially based on Android. However, the upcoming version of Harmony OS, Harmony OS Next, is designed to be a genuine Android alternative.
Harmony OS Next doesn’t natively support installing or running Android apps. To compensate, Huawei has partnered with developers in China to port over 4,000 popular apps to the platform. However, this new tool, called "Easy Abroad," allows Huawei devices running Harmony OS Next to sideload a range of Android apps.
How It Works
The "Easy Abroad" tool is designed to aid Chinese tourists traveling abroad. It creates a container for Android apps to run in, allowing users to install a variety of apps, including Facebook, Instagram, Discord, Reddit, YouTube, Google Search, Google Maps, Uber, Chrome, Gmail, Spotify, Disney Plus, Netflix, Steam, and more. These apps appear in a folder on the home screen, but cannot be dragged out.
Limitations
While the tool works surprisingly well, there are some limitations. First, it’s unlikely that the containerized version of Android 12 will pass Play Integrity checks, which may render many Android apps unrunnable. Second, the container uses microG instead of Google Play Services, which may not support certain features. Third, only whitelisted Android apps can be installed, and notifications for many apps may not appear until they’re opened. Fourth, apps like Netflix may not stream videos above SD quality due to a lack of Widevine L1 DRM support.
The Future of Android on Harmony OS Next
While these limitations are similar to those experienced when sideloading Android apps on Huawei devices running an Android-based Harmony OS build, it’s unclear whether the "Easy Abroad" tool will continue to function as well when the stable version of Harmony OS Next is released next year. If you have a Huawei device running the Harmony OS Next beta, feel free to try the "Easy Abroad" app and share your experiences with us!
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