Huawei Consumer Business Group (BG) announced the official launch of EMUI 9.0, Huawei’s custom Android P-based operating system (OS). Available to the widest range of Huawei and Honor devices yet, EMUI 9.0 goes out of beta with the launch of the HUAWEI Mate 20 Series with new features for all supported devices. Developed to “Enable a Quality Life,” the latest Huawei OS brings greatly improved performance, new features and a streamlined interface to consumers.
“EMUI 9.0 is the culmination of our R&D efforts enabling us to continue to deliver on our ‘Born Fast, Stays Fast’ promise. With the launch of the HUAWEI Mate 20 Series, we are thrilled to bring a wealth of new experiences to Huawei devices running our newest operating system. These exciting AI and productivity features will empower consumers and let them get even more out of their devices,” said Dr. Chenglu Wang, President of Software Engineering, Huawei Consumer BG.
The Best Experiences, First
Committed to delivering the latest and best user experiences to consumers, Huawei has always been keen to incorporate the latest technologies into its products. In regard to OS, Huawei is always among the first in the industry to offer a custom OS based on the latest Android platform. EMUI 9.0 was revealed on September 1 in Germany and September 5 in China, and with those announcements, Huawei became one of the earliest adopters of the latest Android P software.
The latest EMUI is an evolution of Huawei’s “Born Fast, Stays Fast” promise. It brings noticeable improvements in performance to the full user experience. Every aspect, from tap response, app launch times to app smoothness, has been optimized to new levels of speed and efficiency, thanks to the myriad enhancements the custom OS brings to the Android platform. Moreover, Huawei has also extended this update to benefit older generations of devices—a testament to its commitment to supporting its devices long after launch.
Simple, Enjoyable, Consistent
The best interface is one that is invisible—as in it should disappear into the user experience. To achieve that, the interface must be simple, enjoyable and consistent. These three factors must be present concurrently so as not to break the immersion. The EMUI 9.0 is the perfect example illustrating how this combination blends seamlessly together.
EMUI 9.0 features a streamlined Settings menu. It takes a two-pronged approach: by reducing the number of items in the Settings menu, and adding an Advanced Tab to stow the more complicated configurations. Compared to its predecessor, EMUI 9.0 has 10 percent fewer options. Various items have also been moved for better categorization. Furthermore, by moving the advanced options to a dedicated tab, everyday users are treated to a simpler menu while advanced users retain their ability to make granular changes to their devices.
Huawei standardized the designs and features of the EMUI to ensure the OS delivers the most visually and functionally consistent experience. Features that are similar in nature—such as Timer, Clock and Compass—have been redesigned following the same design language to provide the most cohesive and intuitive user experience.
With apps running faster and navigation simplified, every interaction is a joy on EMUI 9.0. Huawei designed EMUI 9.0 to be the most ergonomic EMUI yet. The new interface features optimized placements of navigation buttons that significantly improve single-hand usability. For instance, the navigation bar of Gallery has been moved to the bottom of the screen, allowing users to easily browse between Photos, Albums, Highlights and Discover tabs with the thumb of the hand holding the device.
Intelligent Experience
With the enhanced AI capabilities, EMUI 9.0 brings Spotlight Reel to all supported devices. Accessible via the Gallery app, this new feature uses the AI capabilities of Huawei devices to automatically generate 10-second montages that highlight individuals starring in a user’s video collection.
Apart from that EMUI 9.0 offers two ways for users to employ AI to enrich their lives: HiVision and HiTouch.
HiVision and HiTouch
- HiVision: With HiVision, users can easily query the Internet for more information about objects of interest by simply pointing the camera towards it. HiVision recognizes landmarks from 15 countries as well as over 10 million famous artworks. It also recognizes a great range of food items, and can provide a calorie estimate for users who are conscious about their calorie intake.
- HiTouch: Enabled by pressing and holding two fingers on an image, HiTouch lets users easily query online retailers and eCommerce platforms and shop for items. The feature can recognize more than 120 million items from more than 200 eCommerce platforms and the official online stores of nearly 100 brands.
Enhanced Productivity via Improved Easy Projection
With the HUAWEI Mate 10 Series, Huawei brought Easy Projection to consumers, enabling them to conveniently connect their devices with an external display for increase productivity. For EMUI 9.0, Huawei evolved the feature with a wireless upgrade. Users running EMUI 9.0 now have access to One-Click Projection, and Highlight and Capture on Big Screen, which let users to easily add highlights to and capture content projected on larger screens such as a TV.
In addition to Wireless Easy Projection, EMUI 9.0 supports a wide breadth of productivity features, including:
- HUAWEI Share: In addition to transferring files between Huawei mobile and Huawei PC, users can now use HUAWEI Share to send files to a Bluetooth-enabled printer;
- Backup: EMUI 9.0 supports new ways for users to backup their important files. Besides HUAWEI Cloud, users may now store their backup on a SD Card, USB drive or a NAS (Network Attached Storage);
- WPS with HiAI: The WPS productivity suite leverages HiAI capabilities to enhance its features. EMUI 9.0 automatically adjusts the alignment of documents, and can convert images and hardcopies into editable digital copies.
Other New Features
EMUI 9.0 also comes with other new features, which were announced previously at the launch. They include Password Vault, a feature that securely stores user passwords locally, as well as digital wellbeing features such as Digital Balance for monitoring usage, App Limits to set time limits for various apps, and Wind Down, which turns the screen gray during sleeping hours.
Update Schedule
The HUAWEI Mate 20 Series comes with EMUI 9.0 pre-installed. The update is already on HUAWEI P20 Pro, HUAWEI P20, HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro and HUAWEI Mate 10 in select markets via HOTA updates.
