Several weeks after the release of HarmonyOS 7 for consumers, the focus has shifted from phone models to how the operating system transforms applications into callable agentic skills. In HarmonyOS 7, Xiaoyi functions as a system agent capable of analyzing on-screen context, planning sequences of actions across multiple applications, and initiating partner services based on a single voice request. This OS strategy is evaluated by the number of capabilities, not camera megapixels.
According to Huawei reports, there are over 2100 HarmonyOS system capabilities and more than 200 system probing data elements available to agents. Furthermore, there are over 2000 HarmonyOS agents and more than 500 curated partner skills. Within the Harmony Intelligence stack and the HMAF 2.0 agent framework, application functions can be registered as skills or agents.
Semantic routing, occurring within user-permitted sandboxes, breaks down complex requests into chains of subtasks. These chains coordinate the work of calendar, map, travel, office, and e-commerce services without the need for manual switching between applications.
Specific examples demonstrate the potential of this system: a vague request for a weekend trip can automatically compile a route structure, weather forecast, and booking skills in a single dialogue. Thanks to on-device A2A functions, Xiaoyi can interact with an internal agent, such as the Tencent Video assistant, without leaving playback. The Xiaoyi navigation panel recognizes dozens of command-link and clipboard templates—such as flight numbers, parcel IDs, or addresses—to open the relevant service with a single tap.
After completing complex tasks, they can be reviewed and converted into reusable skills, accelerating subsequent use. Developers have the ability to publish skills, create agents, or connect existing agents via A2A, while using system APIs for vision, speech, and natural language processing. Thus, the promotion of Xiaoyi in HarmonyOS 7 represents an operating system agent platform with clear metrics—over 2100 system capabilities, over 2000 agents, and over 500 partner skills—rather than just another item on a new phone launch list.
