Proposal: A distributed Dev Publishing portal for open-source Oniro App Store on Oniro that benefits North American market and integrates with commercial HarmonyOS Next AppGallery convergence
The next and final step to solidifying the emerging 3rd world's largest ecosystem by challenging mobile duopoly and desktop monopoly while navigating long-term geopolitical challenges.
Open-Source Oniro App Store
Developer Portal: Create a centralized, open-source developer portal where developers can publish their apps for Oniro. This portal would handle app submissions, reviews, and distribution called Global Developer Service Alliance (GDSA).
Decentralized Distribution: The app store could use decentralized technologies (e.g., IPFS or blockchain) to distribute apps, ensuring independence from any single entity or jurisdiction.
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Integration with HarmonyOS Next AppGallery
API-Based Integration: Develop APIs that allow the open-source Oniro app store to sync with HarmonyOS Next AppGallery. Apps published on the Oniro portal could automatically appear on AppGallery without requiring developers to use AppGallery Connect.
Metadata Sharing: Share app metadata (e.g., descriptions, screenshots, and download links) between the Oniro portal and AppGallery, ensuring consistency across platforms, also app store front page promotions and boosts.
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Benefits for North American Developers
No Dependency on AppGallery Connect: Developers in North America, especially US developers and even emerging markets such as the huge Indian market in South Asia could publish their apps on the Oniro portal with Eclipse Oniro GDPR developer account sign up without needing to interact with Huawei's AppGallery Connect, avoiding potential regulatory or geopolitical concerns.
Open-Source Tools: Provide open-source tools and SDKs for developers to build and publish apps for Oniro, ensuring transparency and flexibility, North American firms can adapt and making it adaptable to the Oniro platform and also run across OpenHarmony-based systems, including HarmonyOS Next.
Cross-Platform Reach: By publishing on the Oniro portal, developers could reach users on both Oniro and HarmonyOS Next, across OpenHarmony-based systems, expanding their large global audiences without additional effort.
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Compliance and Security
App Review Process: Implementing a robust app review process on the Oniro portal to ensure app quality and security, similar to other app stores.
GDPR and Regional Compliance: Ensure that the portal and app store comply with regional regulations, such as GDPR in Europe and data protection laws in North America.
It promotes alternative app stores in the EU with vendors that can use such as Huawei and others to avoid EU Gatekeeper regulatory issues on properitary ecosystems which has been an issue with Apple ecosystems. The benefits it brings to HarmonyOS Next where Huawei users and others can also access the Oniro App Store and sideloading.
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Technical Implementation
Backend Infrastructure: Using open-source technologies to build the backend infrastructure for the developer portal and app store, ensuring scalability and reliability.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Develop tools and frameworks that make it easy for developers to create apps compatible with both OpenHarmony-based Oniro and HarmonyOS Next with overall OpenHarmony base SDK.
Automated Syncing: Implement automated syncing between the Oniro portal and AppGallery, ensuring that apps are updated and distributed seamlessly. Encouraging developer openness to allow their HarmonyOS app to run across any OpenHarmony device with interoperability in mind.
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Challenges and Considerations
Developer Adoption: Attracting developers to a new platform can be challenging, especially in a market dominated by Android and iOS and only EU, US, UK regulations is challenging this mobile duopoly market and Eclipse with OpenAtom close partnership and Huawei providing this fresh third ecosystem mobile choice option.
Regulatory Barriers: American developers may face regulatory restrictions when distributing apps on platforms associated with Huawei or China but this solution can resolve and address these issues thanks to Eclipse OpenHarmony-based Oniro offerings and underpinnings with independent Huawei’s OpenHarmony-based HarmonyOS Next.
Competition with Established App Stores: Competing with established app stores like Google Play and Apple App Store will require significant differentiation and value proposition with the unique distributed open source ecosystem side is the most valuable proposition to challenge the status quo by making the most open ecosystem distributed across diverse systems beyond Apple and Google narrow traditional mobile ecosystems.
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Potential Strategies for Success
Incentivize Developers: Offering financial incentives, such as revenue-sharing models or grants, to attract developers to the Oniro portal from stakeholders of the project.
Focus of Niche Markets: Target niche markets, such as IoT devices or enterprise solutions alongside emerging mobile ambient computing, where Oniro and HarmonyOS Next have a competitive advantage.
Community Building: Building a strong global developer community around the Oniro portal, providing resources, support, and collaboration opportunities bridging from East to West.
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Example Workflow
Developer Publishes App: A North American/Western developer publishes their app on the Oniro portal, using open-source tools and SDKs.
App Review: The app undergoes a review process on the Oniro portal to ensure quality and security.
Sync with AppGallery: The app's metadata is automatically synced with HarmonyOS Next AppGallery, making it available to users on both platforms.
User Downloads App: Users on Oniro and HarmonyOS Next can download and use the app without the developer needing to interact with AppGallery Connect.
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Huawei's Role in the Oniro App Store
Contributor and Partner: Huawei is a major contributor to OpenHarmony, the open-source foundation of Oniro. While Oniro itself is vendor-neutral, Huawei can leverage its expertise and resources to build commercial services around the ecosystem.
AppGallery Integration: Huawei potential integration on the Oniro App Store with its already existing AppGallery, creating a unified distribution platform for HarmonyOS and Oniro devices while keeping both federated Eclipse Foundation controlled Oniro App Store and AppGallery separated branches with opt-in for HarmonyOS Next AppGallery access, growing from 15,000+ apps to millions of apps without monopolisation issues, adhering to EU Gatekeeping policy. By being open-source and decentralized, the Oniro App Store does not centralize control or market power, reducing the risk of being classified as a gatekeeper.
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Revenue Models for Huawei
App Store Fees & Transaction Fees:
Huawei could take a percentage of revenue from paid apps, in-app purchases, and subscriptions distributed through it’s own AppGallery side as a vendor while keeping open source Oniro App Store neutral and separate for OEMs and developers that want an option of not having to have revenue sharing with Huawei at the same time.
Advertising:
Monetize the app store through targeted advertising, promoting apps or services to users based on their preferences and behaviour without Google style model.
Cloud Services:
Provide cloud-based services (e.g., app hosting, data storage, analytics) to developers and enterprises using the Oniro ecosystem.
Hardware Sales & Ecosystem Services:
Promote the sale of partnership Huawei ecosystem devices that run Oniro and their own HarmonyOS, driving revenue through hardware sales with their own ecosystem services.
Flexible Revenue Models option for software app developers and hardware makers
App & OEM Developer Transaction Revenue & Profits:
Developers as an option could keep all the percentage of revenue from paid apps, in-app purchases, and subscriptions distributed through the Oniro App Store, either when opting in HarmonyOS Next AppGallery with it, even with their own third party distributions of Launchers, App Store and sideloading installations of their OpenHarmony/HarmonyOS HAP apps with the opening of alternative ecosystems.
Third party Oniro and OpenHarmony hardware vendor makers can also set their own revenue percentages of their own alternative 3rd party app store ecosystems with app developers and app distribution deals respective of their own distros and accessible accross OpenHarmony ecosystem that allows vendors in the developer portal where third party developers have option to opt-in not just Huawei AppGallery on HarmonyOS Next, but all diverse third-party vendors app stores distributions e.g. iSoftStone App Store with their own respective app store badges, regulations where app developers and companies can promote.
Advertising:
Third party advertising support, promoting apps or services to users based on their preferences and behavior without Google style model.
Cloud Services:
Provide open source cloud-based services (e.g., app hosting, data storage, analytics) to developers and enterprises using the Oniro ecosystem with Oniro App Store and support other cloud services, commercial and open source, for example, OMH Capacitor with Firebase.
Hardware Sales & Ecosystem Services:
Promote the sale of partnership Third party vendor ecosystem devices that run Oniro, driving revenue through hardware sales with their own ecosystem services.
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Who Makes the Money?
Huawei: As a key player in the ecosystem, Huawei can generate revenue through app store fees, enterprise services, advertising, and hardware sales on it’s own AppGallery side.
Developers: Developers earn revenue from app sales, in-app purchases, and subscriptions, with a portion going to the app store operator (e.g., Huawei) and independently.
Eclipse Foundation: As the steward of the Oniro project, the Eclipse Foundation may receive funding or contributions from companies like Huawei to support the development and maintenance of the platform.
Other Stakeholders: Manufacturers, service providers, and partners, alongside individual custom software vendor developers themselves in the Oniro ecosystem can also benefit from increased adoption of the platform.
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Benefits of the Oniro App Store
Open-Source Ecosystem: The open-source nature of Oniro attracts developers and users who value transparency and flexibility.
Global Reach: By supporting multiple platforms (e.g., HarmonyOS, Oniro), the app store can reach a global audience where Huawei don’t have a presence such as North America and Western markets, including regions where Huawei has a strong presence in mainland China, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, global majority.
Digital Sovereignty: The Oniro App Store aligns with the EU's push for digital sovereignty, making it an attractive option for European users and developers.
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Challenges and Mitigation Strategies
Competition with Established App Stores: Competing with Google Play and Apple App Store will require strong differentiation, such as lower fees, better privacy features, or unique services.
Developer Adoption: Attracting developers to a new platform requires incentives, such as financial support, technical resources, and a clear value proposition.
Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with regional regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) to build trust with users and developers.
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Example Revenue Streams
App Sales and In-App Purchases: Huawei takes a 15%-20% cut of revenue from app sales and in-app purchases, and negotiable deals differ case by case agreed between two parties, e.g., Tencent, for example, over WeChat that excluded revenue sharing and Epic Games can benefit it’s own Epic Games launcher with 3rd party payment systems without having to share with Huawei AppGallery, same with Valve Steam and GoG (Good Old Games) on the desktop gaming ecosystem.
Enterprise Solutions: Charge enterprises for custom app development, distribution, and support services.
Advertising: Monetize the app store through targeted ads, earning revenue from app promotions and sponsored listings.
Cloud Services: Offer cloud-based services to developers and enterprises, generating recurring revenue.
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Long-Term Opportunities
Ecosystem Growth: As the Oniro ecosystem grows, Huawei can expand its revenue streams by offering additional services, such as IoT integration, AI tools, and cross-platform development frameworks.
Global Partnerships: Collaborate with other manufacturers, developers, and service providers to create a thriving ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders.
Innovation Hub: Positioning the Oniro App Store as a hub for innovation, attracting developers and users who value open-source technologies and digital sovereignty.
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Separation with Integration strategy
Oniro App Store:
Eclipse Foundation Governance: The Oniro App Store remains under the control of the Eclipse Foundation, ensuring it stays vendor-neutral and open-source.
FOSS Focus: The Oniro App Store is dedicated to free and open-source software (FOSS) for devices running Oniro.
Integration with AppGallery: Apps published on the Oniro App Store can be synced with AppGallery, with the advent of an open source HMS library on OpenHarmony support that includes Huawei ID support to access 15,000+ HarmonyOS Next apps and games on third-party Oniro globally and OpenHarmony diverse horizontal hardware devices outside of Huawei Kirin devices in China from developers active on Huawei AppGallery Connect verticial integrated ecosystem side creating interoperability with a vendor netural horizontal ecosystem.
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AppGallery:
Huawei Control: AppGallery remains Huawei's proprietary app distribution platform, exclusive to HarmonyOS Next devices with global branches localisation and regulatory compliances where Huawei serves except United States domestic market where Oniro App Store complies in sync with AppGallery.
Commercial Focus: AppGallery focuses on commercial apps and services, allowing Huawei to monetize its ecosystem.
Push for App and Game Preservation support
As we have moved towards digital concerns around software preservation from companies, working with app and game developers on preserving the legacy shelf life of applications where app and game updates are ceased after a duration of an app and game lifecycle. With the concept of Legacy Applications Libraries Archive section opt-in with monetisation and non-monetisation support embedded on Oniro App Store that can help encourage to mitigate and tackle the issue around software preservation early on with backward compatibility support in future iterations of OpenHarmony-based software where the apps can be still be accessible for users which makes it attractive for app developers, including business are no longer active, contracts in early negoitations etc. As a result, users can benefit from longevity of software on their devices, even when they are no longer on Oniro App Store, vendors and developers third-party app stores across the OpenHarmony ecosystem with open source community maintainance and OpenChain compliance over licensing.
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Conclusion
Huawei can maintain a federated ecosystem where the Oniro App Store (exclusive to Oniro and focused on FOSS) is integrated but separated from the AppGallery (exclusive to HarmonyOS Next), while still generating revenue. North American developers can use the Oniro portal to publish their apps, which can then show up on AppGallery without direct engagement with Huawei as opt-in option. This approach ensures vendor neutrality for Oniro, commercial viability for HarmonyOS Next, and a seamless experience for developers and users. It also aligns with the global push for digital sovereignty and open-source collaboration.
The Oniro App Store and HarmonyOS AppGallery can implement geolocation-based restrictions to disable the installation of apps like TikTok in banned regions (e.g., the U.S.) while keeping them available elsewhere. This approach ensures compliance with local laws, maintains user trust, and allows developers to continue reaching a global audience. By leveraging accurate geolocation methods and transparent communication, the app stores can effectively navigate regulatory challenges and provide a seamless experience for users and developers alike.
Creating a developer publishing portal for an open-source app store on Oniro that integrates with HarmonyOS Next AppGallery is technically feasible and could benefit North American developers by providing a neutral, open-source platform for app distribution. By leveraging open-source technologies, ensuring compliance with regional regulations, and building a strong developer community, this approach could offer a compelling alternative to traditional app stores while expanding the reach of Oniro and HarmonyOS Next.
Huawei, alongside other partners, Eclipse itself and those within the Oniro project can make money off the Oniro App Store through various revenue models, including app store fees, other enterprise services, advertising, and cloud services options. While Oniro itself is an open-source project, Huawei's involvement in the ecosystem allows it to monetize the platform and benefit from its growth. By leveraging its expertise, resources, and global reach, Huawei can create a sustainable revenue stream while contributing to the development of a vibrant, open-source ecosystem.