BEIJING, China: Huawei has launched its first laptops running on its proprietary HarmonyOS, marking a significant step in its effort to reduce reliance on U.S. technology amid ongoing trade restrictions.

The two new models, the MateBook Fold and MateBook Pro, were unveiled this week, both featuring the latest version of HarmonyOS, an operating system the Chinese tech giant began developing in 2015.

Despite its dominance in hardware, China has lagged in developing computer operating systems capable of competing with Microsoft's Windows and Apple's macOS. Huawei's MateBook Fold, which comes without a physical keyboard and features an 18-inch OLED double screen when fully extended, is priced at 23,999 yuan (US$3,328). The MateBook Pro, with a conventional keyboard, starts at 7,999 yuan.

"The Harmony laptop gives the world a new choice," said Yu Chengdong, head of Huawei's consumer business group, during the livestreamed launch event. "We kept on doing the hard things but the right things."

Washington imposed restrictions on Huawei's access to U.S. technology in 2019 over national security concerns, prompting the company to accelerate the development of its own chips and operating systems. Huawei did not disclose which processor powers the new laptops but stated that the higher prices reflect the cost of the latest manufacturing technology involved.

HarmonyOS currently supports over 150 applications, including WPS Office, a Microsoft Office alternative, and Meitu Xiu Xiu, a popular photo editing app. According to Huawei's latest report, more than 7.2 million developers are now creating apps for HarmonyOS, which is installed on over a billion devices, including smartphones and TVs.

Huawei did not immediately respond to questions about the chip used in the laptops, which comes amid continued U.S. restrictions preventing companies like Intel and Qualcomm from shipping specific processors to the company.