Chinese telecom giant, Huawei, has expanded its Honor brand name from smartphones to smart TVs – the first devices to feature its home-ground HarmonyOS.
The 55-inch 4K display panels are positioned as versatile smart home hubs, controllable via smartphones and offering a slew of personalised information including weather and parcel tracking.
“It’s not only a TV but it represents the future of TV,” claimed Honor President, Zhao Ming, at its unveiling.
The new Honor Vision and Honor Vision Pro smart TVs will release in China next week, with international availability yet to be confirmed.
Whilst it’s unlikely the product will release in the West soon, it does signify the ramp up of Huawei’s smart home ecosystem.
A day prior to Huawei’s unveiling, fellow Chinese manufacturer Hisense launched its new smart home ecosystem with interactive IoT features.
The new Huawei Honor Vision Pro TV includes an adjustable pop-up camera and six-far field cameras for video calling.
The base Honor Vision will release for ¥3,799 (~US$540), with the Honor Vision Pro going for ¥4,799 (~US$680).
The news follows the recent loss of Huawei’s Google Android license, with Huawei committed to reducing its operational reliance and boost its HarmonyOS platform amid strained US-China tensions.
HarmonyOS has reportedly been in development for over two years, and is intended to run a plethora of devices – from wearables to PCs, tablets and TVs.
The company intends to use Google’s Android on its smartphones for the time being, however, HarmonyOS is also said to be compatible with phones too.
The news follows reports other Chinese phone manufacturers are working on their own smart TVs (e.g. Xiaomi and OnePlus), with an Android operating system.
The products signify the global ramp up of the smart home movement, with smart display panels redefining the traditional TV category.
