Huawei unveils its much-anticipated operating system HarmonyOS on Friday. Photo: IC

The highly anticipated Huawei smart TV went on sale online in China on Monday morning. It is the second device equipped with Huawei's self-developed operating system, HarmonyOS, showcasing the Chinese tech giant's steady progress in building its own ecosystem despite US government blacklisting.

Pre-orders kicked off at 10:08 am Monday morning on Chinese online marketplace jd.com, the company told the Global Times on Monday. The new smart device, which is equipped with a pop-up camera in addition to the new operating system, is expected to become a new control center for Huawei's Internet of Things (IoT) drive, providing artificial intelligence-powered interactive user experiences. 

The pre-sales began on Monday, and the product will be officially launched on September 19. The high-definition smart screen measures 65 inches (165 cm), and more details will be released soon.  

HarmonyOS is widely regarded as Huawei's plan B to replace Google's Android OS amid the US-led crackdown on China's tech rise. 

In mid-May, the US Department of Commerce placed Huawei on a blacklist that could prevent Google from supplying it with Android services. Washington allowed Huawei a 90-day reprieve and then extended its temporary trade license for another 90 days.

"This is a step forward in building its own HarmonyOS ecosystem, sooner and better," Jiang Junmu, chief writer at telecom industry news website c114.com.cn, told the Global Times. 

Huawei's sub-brand unveiled its first smart TV, Honor Vision, equipped with HarmonyOS in August. 

Huawei has become accustomed to living under the US crackdown. As a result, the company needs to move forward in building its own ecosystem with HarmonyOS by supporting more new products with its own technologies, Jiang noted. 

In addition to IoT devices, the company is also set to debut its flagship P40 smartphone equipped with HarmonyOS if it remains on the US government blacklist and is unable to access Google's Android services, the company confirmed with the Global Times on Sunday.