Huawei Races To Boost Smart Phone Production
Huawei Technologies Pushes To Defy US Sanction Setbacks
Overt Operator
September 25, 2023
Huawei in Shenzhen, photographed in August 2023.
Huawei Technologies' latest flagship smartphones, the Mate 60 and Mate 60 Pro, have been met with excitement in China. Some consumers view these as a symbol of national pride and evidence that China can overcome US sanctions targeted at Chinese technology companies.
The new Mate 60 series was initially available only on Huawei's e-commerce website Vmall and its physical flagship store in Shenzhen.
However, they have now become available through third-party sales channels such as JD.com, Alibaba's Taobao, and bricks-and-mortar stores. Within a short period of time, the Mate 60 Pro sold out on Huawei's official stores on JD.com and Taobao. Huawei's Vmall is set to release a new batch of phones for purchase.
When a reporter from the South China Morning Post visited Huawei's store in Shenzhen, they saw around 25 customers already lined up to buy the new smartphones.
Even a reporter from a Weibo account affiliated with state broadcaster China Central Television managed to get their hands on one of the devices, as evidenced by a photo posted on August 30 featuring US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo giving a speech with a watermark indicating it was shot with a Mate 60 Pro.
According to Ivan Lam, a senior analyst with market consultancy Counterpoint Research, Huawei is expected to sell at least 7 million units of the Mate 60 series, assuming there are no supply disruptions. Lam believes that sales should exceed the previous version of the Mate series, which saw shipments between 7 million and 9 million units.
The Mate 60 Pro is equipped with Huawei's in-house Kirin 9000s processor, which supports 5G connectivity. This release comes three years after Huawei's last 5G smartphone, the Mate 40 series. Notably, under the tightened US restrictions imposed in 2020, Huawei cannot acquire advanced integrated circuits from major contract chip makers worldwide.
However, early research suggests that China's Semiconductor International Manufacturing Corp, which is also under US trade sanctions, used existing equipment to manufacture the 5G- enabled chips for Huawei.
The patriotic sentiment in China, combined with the anticipation surrounding Huawei's new smartphones, has contributed to their initial success in the market. The symbolic value of supporting a homegrown technology champion in the face of US sanctions has resonated with many consumers.
Huawei's ability to deliver innovative and high-quality devices, even under challenging circumstances, has reaffirmed their position as a leading player in the global smartphone industry.
As the sales of the Mate 60 series continue to unfold, Huawei remains a company to watch. Despite external pressures, they are leveraging their technological expertise and avid consumer base to maintain their foothold in the market.