The HUAWEI Malaysia Ecosystem Conference 2019 (HMEC’19) was held at W Hotel yesterday and it was a strange one. Strange because the company used the event to launch the pinnacle of its advancement in technology, the Mate 30 series. To top that off, the Mate 30 was given a mere 20 minute allocation in a presentation that lasted 2 hours.
Given the circumstances behind Huawei’s current predicament though, I suppose it makes perfect sense. Maybe i’m just not used to Huawei keeping things low key. To me, it’s akin to the company conceding defeat. Given that they had already slapped a premium price tag on a phone with no Google, the least they could’ve done was give it a proper launch.
The tie up of the launch with HMEC’19 had its reasons though. For one, Huawei is looking to really push its Huawei Mobile Services platform.
“HUAWEI Mobile Services or HMS is a new and redefined operating system, designed for an all-scenario and intelligent ecosystem. It supports one-time development for multi-device deployment, which will substantially improve app developer’s experience and efficiency”
Kim So Yeon, Marketing Director, HUAWEI Mobile Services APAC.
On paper, the official reason for Huawei’s focus on HMS is:
With the rapid growth of HUAWEI smartphones, non-smartphone and ecosystem products as well as the massive app distributions of HUAWEI AppGallery to over 14 million users in Asia Pacific, this demands for a redefined ecosystem that will provide a fully connected user experience.
Which is true, no doubt. But it’s hard to deny that the Google ban has forced Huawei’s hand. They’re pretty much left with no choice but to focus on refining HMS. Case in point? The Huawei Shining Star Programme. The programme pretty much encourages app developers to develop apps for the Huawei app gallery. That’s not even the end of it. To further engage Malaysians interest in App Developing, HUAWEI has introduced The HMS Integration Challenge.
The challenge, which will be held from the 23rd of September 2019 to the 31st of December 2019 gives participants the chance to be in the running to receive a perks valued at RM500,000. In case that didn’t make it obvious enough, get this- The participants will be required to complete the HMS Integration Challenge in the Mate30 EMUI environment and to publish their app on HUAWEI AppGallery.
Huawei desperately need to make the HMS ecosystem work and stock up their app gallery with apps that are actually half decent. Thus far they’ve managed to get quite a few prominent apps on board, but without the Facebook family of apps and Google, it’s an uphill road.
