True HarmonyOS 6.1 preview: Huawei (华为) HarmonyOS 6.0.0.328 SP58 adds a new Game Assistant, supports quick toggling of High Performance mode

New build brings a beefed-up “Application Assistant” (game assistant)

Huawei (华为) has begun rolling out HarmonyOS (鸿蒙) 6.0.0.328 SP58 to several recent models including the Mate 60/70/80 and Pura 70/80 series, IT之家 (iThome) reports. The update — a roughly 3.27GB system package — delivers a May Day limited watermark, a hidden album option in the gallery and, most noticeably, a redesigned Application Assistant (应用助手), commonly referred to as the game assistant. Fast toggles for High Performance mode, knuckle-gesture blocking, Do Not Disturb, screenshot and screen recording, brightness lock and intelligent voice control are all exposed directly in the assistant. Game-related services such as circles, events and gift packs, plus quick-launch shortcuts to WeChat and QQ small windows, are also included.

How the new assistant works and which games are supported

Users can access the assistant settings via Settings > System > Application Assistant, or by searching “应用助手” from the desktop pull-down search. The intelligent voice-control feature reportedly supports a handful of popular titles, enabling hands-free commands in games such as 三国杀, 三国杀 OL 互通版, 掼蛋, 多乐掼蛋, 欢乐斗地主（鸿蒙抢先版） and 欢喜斗地主. The assistant also aggregates community guides, event reminders and in-game welfare so players can manage gameplay and social interactions from one overlay. If a device lacks installed chat apps, the quick-chat entries will not be shown.

A clear preview of HarmonyOS 6.1?

It has been reported that Huawei’s official site indicated “6.1 crowdtest” users could try the new application assistant, and the assistant’s package version (16.0.1.302) aligns with that position — suggesting the 6.0.0.328 SP58 channel is a HarmonyOS 6.1 preview. It has also been reported that Pura 90 / Pura X Max devices are expected to ship with a formal HarmonyOS 6.1 release, which Huawei teases will include AI Inspiration creation tools and camera AI pose recommendations. These claims remain preview-to-release expectations rather than firm launch commitments.

Bigger picture: software first amid geopolitical pressure

Why does this matter beyond better game controls? Huawei’s continual HarmonyOS refinements underscore a broader strategy: expand native software and services as hardware access to U.S. supply chains and Google services remains constrained by trade restrictions. The company is increasingly positioning HarmonyOS features — from gaming overlays to AI-driven photography — as competitive differentiators in China’s domestic market and, eventually, abroad.