Can share your experience using the phone, the good, the bad, which apps works or don't work, tips and tricks, etc.? Thanks.
Huawei Pura X
- Thread starter limmk
- Start date
Here's my personal feel of the Huawei Pura X and its Harmony OS 5.0
My set is bought from Huawei's Beijing Store. Why I bought this? Just boh liao walking in China and buy for the sake of buying.
It doesn't support esim, 2 x physically sim slots support.
If you are using it out of China, they provide EasyAbroad app for installing whatsapp, etc. If I remembered correctly, these are containerized applications, like whatsapp, etc. You can also install google apps like drive, sheet, docs, slides, meet, gmail, but the search is limited from their app, there seems to be some sort of default filter even when I selected to search via google play store (it will pop up during the app search)
You cannot search for any VPN on this phone, you will see a disclaimer message about VPN law...
But you can install Onion VPN, Onion Search Engine, OrNet Browser.
In the More connectivity options, they do have the option to setup VPN manually, so if you setup a VPN tunnel to your home router or NAS, you should be able to make it work. I m too lazy to setup and fully test this function
The phone has NFC, but I didn't try to install anything to make payment. Again, lazy to test.
Also, I am a user of IBKR app, you will encounter outdated Android System Webview, which you have no way of installing the latest version. Afterall, this is not an Android phone, so be advised.
Chrome browser can be installed but will crash on certain sites, like Samsung... Lazy to go deep to check why.
POSB app can be installed, but never tried to login yet until i have a deeper understand of the harmony OS.
Camera feature is nice, got some sort of built-in meitu (AI-driven). screen size and feel of the phone is nice, just wish it was thinner. Got wireless charging on it
My set is bought from Huawei's Beijing Store. Why I bought this? Just boh liao walking in China and buy for the sake of buying.
It doesn't support esim, 2 x physically sim slots support.
If you are using it out of China, they provide EasyAbroad app for installing whatsapp, etc. If I remembered correctly, these are containerized applications, like whatsapp, etc. You can also install google apps like drive, sheet, docs, slides, meet, gmail, but the search is limited from their app, there seems to be some sort of default filter even when I selected to search via google play store (it will pop up during the app search)
You cannot search for any VPN on this phone, you will see a disclaimer message about VPN law...
But you can install Onion VPN, Onion Search Engine, OrNet Browser.
In the More connectivity options, they do have the option to setup VPN manually, so if you setup a VPN tunnel to your home router or NAS, you should be able to make it work. I m too lazy to setup and fully test this function
The phone has NFC, but I didn't try to install anything to make payment. Again, lazy to test.
Also, I am a user of IBKR app, you will encounter outdated Android System Webview, which you have no way of installing the latest version. Afterall, this is not an Android phone, so be advised.
Chrome browser can be installed but will crash on certain sites, like Samsung... Lazy to go deep to check why.
POSB app can be installed, but never tried to login yet until i have a deeper understand of the harmony OS.
Camera feature is nice, got some sort of built-in meitu (AI-driven). screen size and feel of the phone is nice, just wish it was thinner. Got wireless charging on it
Darkshadows
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Wow, you have helped a great deal in finding out a lot of things which many didn't.Here's my personal feel of the Huawei Pura X and its Harmony OS 5.0
My set is bought from Huawei's Beijing Store. Why I bought this? Just boh liao walking in China and buy for the sake of buying.
It doesn't support esim, 2 x physically sim slots support.
If you are using it out of China, they provide EasyAbroad app for installing whatsapp, etc. If I remembered correctly, these are containerized applications, like whatsapp, etc. You can also install google apps like drive, sheet, docs, slides, meet, gmail, but the search is limited from their app, there seems to be some sort of default filter even when I selected to search via google play store (it will pop up during the app search)
You cannot search for any VPN on this phone, you will see a disclaimer message about VPN law...
But you can install Onion VPN, Onion Search Engine, OrNet Browser.
In the More connectivity options, they do have the option to setup VPN manually, so if you setup a VPN tunnel to your home router or NAS, you should be able to make it work. I m too lazy to setup and fully test this function
The phone has NFC, but I didn't try to install anything to make payment. Again, lazy to test.
Also, I am a user of IBKR app, you will encounter outdated Android System Webview, which you have no way of installing the latest version. Afterall, this is not an Android phone, so be advised.
Chrome browser can be installed but will crash on certain sites, like Samsung... Lazy to go deep to check why.
POSB app can be installed, but never tried to login yet until i have a deeper understand of the harmony OS.
Camera feature is nice, got some sort of built-in meitu (AI-driven). screen size and feel of the phone is nice, just wish it was thinner. Got wireless charging on it
Huawei has some next level tech but too bad this US is blocking it as part of their protectionism move. Luckily there's still Honor.
Ray1976
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I recently bought one to play with it. First impression...it is pretty good on hand. It is so much fun to play with compared to the conventional vertical fold like Xiaomi Flip and Samsung Z Flip series...this Pura X unold "horizontally".
The gripe...Huawei is moving away from the Android ecoystsem and build up its own OS called, "Harmony OS NexT. With this update, you can no longer sideload apk files. The workaround is to use Huawei's container called, "Zhou Yi Tong" or some called it "droidthong". For the most part, it works fine, I am able to receive notifications from most of the apps...While 95% of the google apps worked, for some reason, Google Calendar don't work for me. Google Contacts is another issue because it is missing in the "Zhou Yi Tong" store and Aurora store unable to sideload. This causes an issue that the contacts cannot be imported. The worst part about opening third party apps in a self-container is that it cannot access the phone's gallery and content of the file browser. The workaround is to use Huawei's file transfer (in English) or easy transfer (in chinese character). It needs some getting used to. Huawei reommended GBox to install most of the google apps...my advice, avoid at all cost. Use "Zhou Yi Tong" container to search and it works better.
Another problem with container method is that the apps won't work on the cover screen. Only Huawei's apps for now. This phone has so much potential and great for reading ebooks, surfing web and watching Youtube and TikTok shorts with minimal black bars.
As for app compatibility, Singpass confirm doesn't work as it shows a warning that points to an unverified Android version. Most of the apps used by Singaporeans work.
I believe Huawei will come up with a fix for the apps opened in the container but when? Well that's the million dollar question.
The gripe...Huawei is moving away from the Android ecoystsem and build up its own OS called, "Harmony OS NexT. With this update, you can no longer sideload apk files. The workaround is to use Huawei's container called, "Zhou Yi Tong" or some called it "droidthong". For the most part, it works fine, I am able to receive notifications from most of the apps...While 95% of the google apps worked, for some reason, Google Calendar don't work for me. Google Contacts is another issue because it is missing in the "Zhou Yi Tong" store and Aurora store unable to sideload. This causes an issue that the contacts cannot be imported. The worst part about opening third party apps in a self-container is that it cannot access the phone's gallery and content of the file browser. The workaround is to use Huawei's file transfer (in English) or easy transfer (in chinese character). It needs some getting used to. Huawei reommended GBox to install most of the google apps...my advice, avoid at all cost. Use "Zhou Yi Tong" container to search and it works better.
Another problem with container method is that the apps won't work on the cover screen. Only Huawei's apps for now. This phone has so much potential and great for reading ebooks, surfing web and watching Youtube and TikTok shorts with minimal black bars.
As for app compatibility, Singpass confirm doesn't work as it shows a warning that points to an unverified Android version. Most of the apps used by Singaporeans work.
I believe Huawei will come up with a fix for the apps opened in the container but when? Well that's the million dollar question.
Last edited:
Ray1976
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Agreed...it is not easy to get all apps to work. With the new Harmony OS NexT, this is even worse. Huawei's solution for those doing business abroad or those who need to access apps OUTSIDE of China is not ideal at this point. More work need to be done. Hopefully it will get better.
If I move to china I'll just change everything to Huawei ecosystem loh hahhaha...
「WHYLAB」鸿蒙 5.1 当主力机行不行？还有 BUG 吗？软... http://xhslink.com/o/A7cUCV87P8j
Copy and open Xiaohongshu to view the full post！
Copy and open Xiaohongshu to view the full post！
epsilon-ve
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Nice form factor and aspect ratio for outer and inner screen, hopefully other brands can copy the design
SingPass is now available for Harmony OS Next 5.1.
Almost all the banking and Google apps work on my Harmony OS 5.1 phone. Of course, there are some that do not work like Google Wallet and McDonald's app.
Good to hear. Do you still have to install MicroG for apps like LifeSg and CPFMobile?
I see. But, you can install and run some Android apps in the native HarmonyOS 5.1, right? From my understanding, Harmony OS 5.1 has Android basis still... different from Harmony OS Next, which is Android free.
jeffrey745
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The droidong app?
Gadgetfreakloh
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4.X is still android based. 5 onwards are known as Next. Currently 6 is rolling out.
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