MIIT: OpenHarmony Surpasses 1.35 Billion Devices as Downloads Hit 10 Billion

China’s open-source ecosystem took center stage during a recent State Council Information Office briefing, highlighting the nation's growing influence in technology. Held on July 20 at 10:00 a.m., the event featured key officials from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, including Wang Weiming, Tao Qing, and Xie Cun, who presented the industry’s performance for the first half of 2026 and addressed media inquiries. The data shared by Tao Qing provided a clear snapshot of the progress made in basic software, industrial applications, and the broader open-source community.

Stability remains the cornerstone of this growth. Between January and May, China’s software sector generated over 6.2 trillion yuan in revenue, marking a 10.3% year-on-year increase and sustaining a steady upward trajectory. This robust financial foundation has enabled the industry to exhibit four distinct developmental trends this year.

First, basic software is accelerating its development. Operating systems and databases are achieving significant breakthroughs, with continuous innovation driving progress. The open-source HarmonyOS has expanded its reach to cover smartphones, computers, vehicles, and smart home devices, supporting more than 1.35 billion connected units. Additionally, over 100 industry-specific distributions based on open-source HarmonyOS, such as E-Hong and Yi-Hong, have been released. What began as a domestic initiative from scratch has evolved into a massive ecosystem powering hundreds of millions of devices.

Second, industrial software is seeing widespread adoption. A comprehensive product suite now covers critical sectors, with rapid deployment and iterative improvements driving digital transformation across industries. By the end of June, the adoption rate of digital R&D design tools in key industrial enterprises reached 86.3%, while the digitalization rate of core processes hit 69.5%, both figures reflecting high levels of integration.

Third, artificial intelligence is providing comprehensive empowerment. The government has encouraged software firms to leverage AI-driven transformations, speeding up the integration of code large models and intelligent programming tools. These advancements have boosted R&D and production efficiency, resulting in richer product features, more intuitive user interactions, and faster content creation. Innovative applications, including intelligent testing and operations, are also being implemented at an accelerating pace.

Fourth, and most notably highlighted at this briefing, is the rapid expansion of the open-source ecosystem. National-level open-source foundations are currently incubating more than 50 projects. The national AI open-source community has attracted over 11 million users and hosts more than 70,000 models. Comprehensive open-source solutions spanning basic software, large models, and applications are being built rapidly. Most strikingly, global cumulative downloads of China’s AI open-source large models have surpassed 10 billion. This transition from lines of code to billions of pulls by developers worldwide underscores the tangible global impact of China’s AI advancements.