On 25 September, Huawei Technologies will host a media event to discuss new products, raising anticipation for details about their recently released smartphones. The focus will be on the Mate60 series, which stands out for its use of an advanced chip made in China.
This series is seen as Huawei’s first major effort to recover from the damaging US sanctions imposed on its smartphone business. While Huawei did not provide specific information about the new products, Yicai, a domestic business daily, reported that details about their latest phones will be revealed.
The Mate60 and Mate60 Pro, the company’s latest high-end smartphones, were launched last month, and presales for the Mate60 Pro+ and a new foldable phone, the Mate X5, began last week.
Huawei took an unconventional approach to the launch of its series by not engaging in pre-marketing or extravagant events.
However, the phones still managed to create buzz, especially since their release coincided with US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo’s visit to China and the discovery that the Pro version utilized a 5G-capable chip from a Chinese company. Given the current tensions between the US and China, investors and China observers are keen to see how Huawei’s phones will compete against Apple.
Meanwhile, the recent launch of Apple’s iPhone 15 series in China, the company’s third largest market, has received mixed reactions. Some online users appreciate its faster chip and improved gaming capabilities, while others still prefer Huawei’s new smartphone.
Apple’s reputation in China has been further tarnished as the government has imposed strict restrictions on the use of iPhones by state employees, some of whom have been instructed not to use them during work hours.
According to the state-backed Securities Times, Huawei has increased its shipment target for the second half of the year for its Mate60 series by 20% due to unexpectedly strong sales. Huawei, once the world’s leading smartphone manufacturer, suffered a significant blow to its business when the US began imposing restrictions on technology exports to the company in 2019.
The US and other Western governments have accused Huawei of being a security risk, an allegation that the company vehemently denies.
As a result, Huawei has only been able to sell limited quantities of 5G models using its stockpiled chips.
