NetEase Cloud Music HarmonyOS Beta Receives Version 9.5.81 Update

NetEase Cloud Music's native HarmonyOS app has just received its first update, bringing the early access build to version 9.5.81. At first, that sounds like a pretty normal update. The interesting part is how long it took for the app to get here in the first place, almost 900 days after HarmonyOS launched!

Apps like QQ Music, Kugou Music, and Qishui Music have had native HarmonyOS versions for years. NetEase Cloud Music was one of the big names still missing from the platform, and its absence had become a bit of a running joke among Chinese tech users.

That finally changed on August 31, when the app opened for early access. Just a day later, version 9.5.81 was released with a list of basic fixes.

Users in the internal beta testing community say the new version deals with playback interruptions, app crashes and stability problems, as well as network connection issues. There aren't any major new features here. For a first early access update, it's mostly about getting the basics working properly.

The app is also not available through a regular app store listing yet. Users have to join HarmonyOS's "App Early Access" program and get the update from there.

Huawei is clearly paying close attention to the app's arrival. The company's device business CEO, personally announced the launch and said Huawei and NetEase worked together on the app.

The early access version includes the main features most users would expect: music playback, recommendations, search, sharing, and comments. More will be added.

HarmonyOS has now passed 80 million active devices, and Huawei is aiming for 100 million by the end of 2026. Getting a native version of one of China's most popular music apps onto the platform is another important step for that goal.

For HarmonyOS users, it also means they no longer have to rely as much on workarounds just to use NetEase Cloud Music. After almost 900 days of waiting, the app is finally starting to look like a proper part of the HarmonyOS ecosystem.