Huawei's return to the 5G smartphone market and controversy over its Chinese-made processor reflect the company's efforts to expand its business after years of fighting over US trade sanctions.
There is also a new foldable Mate X5 on offer, based on the same processor as the Huawei Mate 60 Pro series, according to Lee.
"Huawei's return to the 5G smartphone market may not come as a complete surprise to investors, but the market excitement is likely related to it," Li said. However, he said investors "want to know why China is making SOCs." How high is the power and which supply chain participants does Huawei use for the Mate 60 Pro series?
Apple's iPhone 15 causes long queues in China despite Huawei's return
Apple's iPhone 15 causes long queues in China despite Huawei's return
Canadian semiconductor research firm TechInsights named SMIC as the maker of the Kirin 9000s processor in a recent Mate 60 Pro leak, sparking rumors that the chipmaker is secretly helping Huawei avoid oppressive US technology sanctions.
“The complexity of this achievement demonstrates the strength of the country's chip manufacturing capabilities,” said Dan Hutcheson, vice president of TechInsights.
If approved, production of this 7nm chip would be a major breach of sanctions imposed by the United States last October, which would have limited China's logic chip production to 14nm.
SMIC is in the spotlight for the 'game-changing' 5G chip in the new Huawei smartphone
SMIC is in the spotlight for the 'game-changing' 5G chip in the new Huawei smartphone
Minataki Mitchell Kasio, managing director of Tokyo-based electronics research firm Fomalhaut Techno Solutions, told The Post in an email interview that he believes the Kirin 9000 processors are based on SMIC phones' 14nm process. He noted that some special technologies have been added to bring the chip's performance closer to that of a 7nm processor.
In contrast, Jeffries Lee suggested earlier this month that SMIC was not directly involved in the production of HiSilicon's Kirin 9000 processor.
“Although the Kirin 9000 has a similar structure to other SMIC chips, it is possible that it is made by Huawei,” Li said. “We believe it is highly likely that Huawei will acquire SMIC technology and hardware to create the Kirin 9000 processor for development.”
An industry expert from Naura Technology Group, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said many experts in the semiconductor industry do not have the ability to scale SMICs for 7nm chips.
Huawei executives call for wider adoption of Chinese-made semiconductors
Huawei executives call for wider adoption of Chinese-made semiconductors
Trade sanctions, which make it difficult for mainland foundries such as SMIC to purchase advanced chipmaking equipment from the U.S. and its allies, have also "dramatically increased innovation" in China's tooling sector, said Paul Triolo, vice president of China and China. Albright heads the technology policy of Stonebridge Group.
“As demonstrated by the Huawei Mate 60 Pro, US regulations have forced companies like SMIC to expand the capabilities of existing gadgets beyond target levels, and Huawei has been able to use a systems engineering approach to compensate for this to some extent.” “Access to advanced manufacturing technologies,” Triolo said.
"Huawei's future ability to use advanced semiconductors in its products largely depends on SMIC," he said. “SMIC’s ability to produce 7nm semiconductors is very important and ties into Huawei’s need to produce competitive products, especially for 5G.”
While the controversy surrounding the Mate 60 Pro series' improved processor has sparked debate in Washington about imposing additional controls on both Huawei and SMIC, Triolo believes the Biden administration should do so given ongoing efforts to improve US-China relations. Reluctance to introduce new restrictions.
“It will also be very difficult to prove that SMIC violated US extraterritorial export controls,” he said. “Any new restrictions would harm the companies' American suppliers and provoke resistance from American industry.”
Following the unveiling of the Huawei smartphone, Beijing is setting high goals for advanced manufacturing.
Following the unveiling of the Huawei smartphone, Beijing is setting high goals for advanced manufacturing.
Huawei's ability to maintain positive momentum in 5G smartphone sales depends on the company ensuring a stable supply of key components and being able to do so cost-effectively.
Competition from other Chinese phone makers Android and Apple in China, the world's largest smartphone market, also means Huawei must overcome U.S. restrictions affecting supply chain partnerships, according to IDC analyst Will Wong.
“Another potential problem is how Huawei can win back former users who have switched to other brands of smartphones in recent years,” Wong said. This is a particularly challenging task as other brands manage ecosystems that create stickiness in their relationships with consumers.
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