Huawei ban Archives - Gizmochina

How Is Huawei Able to Survive Without Google

Vicky — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 11:16:21 +0000

The US is a major player in the tech space, owning some of the biggest tech brands, such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple. It’s hard to imagine mobile devices without partnering with these brands, especially Google, but Huawei is doing it by breaking all the barriers. But how did they do it? You’ll learn everything about it in this post.

Huawei was one of the top three smartphone sellers worldwide in 2019. In fact, the company surpassed Apple’s sales in many quarterly results throughout 2018 and 2019. Huawei’s smartphone business was at its peak during this time, and then the US government gave a massive blow to this Chinese company – the restriction to work with any organisation operating in the United States.

In May 2019, the US government, led by President Donald Trump, announced that Huawei and several other Chinese companies were now on the “Entity List.” In other words, this means that new Huawei phones can no longer ship with Google-owned apps such as YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Drive. They can’t work with any other company operating in the country.

Huawei smartphone sales, after reaching record highs, experienced a sharp decline after the ban. The inability to preinstall Google-owned apps was a major blow, but restrictions on cutting-edge 5G technologies proved equally detrimental to their high-end devices.

The Rise of Huawei

Three months after the Entity List ban, Huawei publicly unveiled HarmonyOS at its inaugural developer conference in Dongguan on August 9, 2019. The company revealed that they had been working on it since 2012. Huawei didn’t position HarmonyOS as a mobile OS until September 2020, when they announced HarmonyOS 2.0.

In July 2021, the Huawei P50 series was unveiled as the first phones with HarmonyOS. This was a big success for the brand, but the phone didn’t have 5G support.

Huawei didn’t stop there and waited for US sanctions to end. Instead, it focused on building an in-house chip fabrication plant. On August 29, 2023, the company announced Kirin 9000S – Huawei’s first fully domestically fabricated chip with 5G support. This was Huawei’s answer to the US that it can develop chips on its own without Western support.

Huawei Mate 60 and Mate 60 Pro were the first phones to get the Kirin 9000S chip. These are flagship phones which have sold over 30 million units.

Huawei’s Software Growth

Although Huawei AppGallery has existed since 2011 in China, the rapid development began after the US ban to make it the best alternative to the Google Play Store. On March 1, 2021, Huawei AppGallery had over 530 million active users, which, in October 2022, jumped to 580 million.

During the HarmonyOS 3 event in July 2022, Huawei revealed that the HMS ecosystem had roughly 1.6 million global developers, which has now crossed 5.4 million.

HarmonyOS is not completely independent from Android. It still uses Android Open Source Project (AOSP) to some extent. To clarify, Huawei can still use AOSP since it’s open-source but it can’t use Google Mobile Services (GMS).

However, the Chinese giant is already working on the second phase of HarmonyOS development – HarmonyOS Next. It will be completely independent of the Android operating system. It won’t even allow sideloading Android apps, which is currently possible with HarmonyOS. It will force app developers to create HarmonyOS-specific versions.

Huawei’s Alternatives to Google Apps

Huawei has developed alternatives to Google apps, which has helped the company grow in the competitive smartphone market.

Google App: Huawei Assistant
Google Duo: Zoom, Skype
Google Photos: Huawei Gallery, Huawei Cloud
Gmail: Huawei’s Email app
Google Maps: Here We Go Maps
YouTube: use the YouTube website in a browser
Google Drive: Huawei Cloud, Deego
Google Chrome: Huawei Browser
Google Docs/Sheets/Slides: Microsoft Office
Google Play Store: Huawei AppGallery

In short, Huawei has done tremendous work building an in-house chip plant and HarmonyOS to survive the US ban and compete against American tech giants. HarmonyOS Next will be the next big move from Huawei, which will be interesting to compare with the Android OS.

Huawei has recently announced the Pura 70 series powered by the all-new Kirin 9010 chipset. Read more about it here.

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Huawei Faces Even More Difficulties in the European Market due to 5G Complications

Anubhav — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 01:51:14 +0000

As Europe navigates the complexities of 5G rollouts, Germany is the latest country to contemplate excluding Chinese tech giants Huawei and ZTE from its networks. According to a Reuters report, Germany’s Interior Ministry is suggesting the removal of critical hardware from these manufacturers by 2026. The move would indicate a substantial shift for Germany, which had previously shrugged off U.S. requests to distance itself from Huawei.

Only one third of EU nations have agreed to ban Huawei’s 5G involvement – yet.

This decision by Germany isn’t just another episode in the ongoing tech cold war between China and the U.S.; it has broader implications. Germany is not only Europe’s largest economy but also China’s most substantial trading partner in the EU. A whopping 65% of Germany’s 5G infrastructure is built using Huawei components, according to Janka Oertel of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Any changes here could show effects across Europe’s telecom economy.

In a recent radio interview, Carsten Senz, a Huawei executive in Germany, pointed out that Huawei’s technology has been employed without any security issues in Germany for years. The company further cautioned that the ban would escalate costs for both telecom operators and consumers in Germany.

While Huawei’s argument centers around economic consequences, the EU has been nudging its members to be cautious. In 2020, the EU recommended restricting or banning Huawei’s involvement in 5G rollouts. However, only a third of EU nations have followed suit so far.

The telecom industry in Europe finds itself caught between two giants: China and the U.S. What’s more, Huawei has been deeply intertwined with Europe’s 5G development since its early stages. As of 2019, almost 60% of Huawei’s global 5G contracts were with European operators.

Given these economic and strategic considerations, Germany’s decision could serve as a tipping point for Europe’s 5G direction. If Germany follows through on the ban, it could catalyze a domino effect, pressuring other European nations to reconsider their 5G partnerships. Thus, Germany’s deliberations reach far beyond its borders and might just reshape Europe’s telecom landscape.

The coming months are crucial for the Chinese company. While security remains a focal point, the economic problems are too significant to be ignored. Germany’s final decision could very well set the tone for Europe’s digital future.

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Apple’s iPhone 15 Defies Odds in China by Shattering Previous Sales Records

Anubhav — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 01:06:48 +0000

Despite competitive pressures from Huawei’s new Mate 60 series and a partial governmental ban on Apple smartphones, the iPhone 15 series has made a smashing debut in China. The long queues at Apple’s flagship store in Beijing’s bustling Sanlitun shopping district were just the tip of the iceberg.

Apple still has control over the Chinese smartphone market despite the US Huawei Ban

According to JD Daojia, a delivery platform affiliated with JD.com, sales for the new iPhone models during the first two hours shot up by a staggering 253% compared to last year’s iPhone 14 series. What’s even more intriguing is the uptick in orders from lower-tier cities, which multiplied by six times. This shows that Apple’s appeal isn’t confined to the cosmopolitan elites but is spreading across various demographics in China.

While Huawei has been drumming up nationalist sentiments with its Mate 60 series, consumers like a 21-year-old Beijing student surnamed Li are still loyal to Apple. For Li, the iPhone 15 Pro Max wasn’t just another smartphone but a marriage of aesthetic finesse and cutting-edge technology.

Another consumer, a 34-year-old film industry worker also named Li, was particularly drawn to the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s new titanium body. Being a user of a variety of Apple products, Li found no reason to switch allegiance to Huawei. This reveals that brand loyalty and integrated ecosystems continue to be Apple’s strong suit in keeping its user base intact.

The new iPhones, priced between 7,999 and 13,999 yuan ($1,095 and $1,916), also bring the game-changing A17 Pro chip and a shift to type-C charging cords. Despite the regulatory and competitive challenges, Apple has managed to not only maintain but also significantly boost its momentum in the Chinese market. It’s a surprise, but let’s see how Huawei shapes its future strategy for China.

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No! Huawei is not getting 5G chips from Qualcomm, but there is good news

Soumyakanti — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 13:06:43 +0000

In response to recent rumors claiming that Qualcomm has resumed supplying 5G chips to Huawei, Yu Chengdong, Huawei’s Executive Director and CEO of the Consumer Business Group, has refuted these claims, stating that they are fake news. While the specific mention of 5G may be disputed, Huawei’s smartphone business continues to show signs of improvement.

Huawei CEO Denies Qualcomm 5G Chip Supply Rumors, Focuses on Smartphone Business Growth

Insiders from the industry chain have revealed that Huawei has raised its 2023 smartphone shipment target to 40 million units, a significant increase from the initial target of 30 million units set earlier this year. This positive adjustment can be attributed to the promising prospects of Huawei’s P60 series and Mate X3 smartphones. Additionally, Huawei’s supply chain has experienced a corresponding recovery, further supporting the company’s positive outlook.

Amidst these developments, the release of Huawei’s Mate 60 series remains a possibility. Huawei has demonstrated an intensive schedule of new device releases over the past year, giving hope to enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the unveiling of the Mate 60 series in the near future.

Recently, a digital blogger shared a conceptual image of the Huawei Mate 60 Pro, which exhibits similarities to its predecessor, the Mate 40 Pro. However, it is important to note that this image is not the final design of the Mate 60 Pro and should be regarded only as a reference.

In related news, The Wall Street Journal reports that the United States plans to extend the deadline for exemptions from export controls on semiconductors to China. This development is positive for chip companies from South Korea and Taiwan, as it allows them to maintain and expand their business operations in China, benefiting the domestic chip manufacturing industry.

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Huawei Claims Breakthrough in Semiconductor Design Tech, Says Comeback is Imminent

Anubhav — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 06:39:33 +0000

In 2019, the United States government imposed sanctions on the Chinese technology giant Huawei, citing national security concerns. The sanctions severely limited Huawei’s access to US technology, including crucial components for its smartphones and telecommunications equipment. The move came as part of a wider trade war between the US and China and had significant implications for the global technology industry. Huawei denied any wrongdoing and insisted that it posed no threat to national security. However, the company’s business suffered as a result of the sanctions, with some countries banning the use of Huawei equipment in their 5G networks. Since then, Huawei has had to make a lot of changes to its operations and device catalogue.

The sanctions prevented Huawei from accessing critical components and software from US companies, including Google’s Android operating system, which is used on the majority of smartphones worldwide. As a result, Huawei was forced to develop its own operating system and reduce its reliance on US technology. However, this process was time-consuming and costly, and Huawei’s smartphone sales suffered as a result. In 2020, Huawei’s smartphone shipments declined by over 20%, and the company was forced to sell its low-end smartphone brand, Honor, to avoid further losses.

Huawei’s rotating chairman, Eric Xu, has recently claimed that China’s semiconductor industry will be “reborn” as a result of U.S. sanctions, and said that Huawei would support efforts by the Chinese semiconductor industry to become more self-sufficient. Semiconductors have been a major point of contention in the ongoing U.S.-China tech battle, with Washington imposing export restrictions on Chinese firms in an attempt to limit their access to American technology. Huawei, in particular, has been affected by the restrictions, which have prevented the company from accessing the latest cutting-edge chips it requires for its smartphones. However, Xu argued that the restrictions could ultimately strengthen China’s domestic semiconductor industry, rather than weaken it.

Chinese firms are now trying to develop the tools required for semiconductors domestically, but this will prove to be an uphill task. Last week, Xu confirmed that Huawei and other domestic firms had jointly created electronic chip design tools needed to make semiconductors sized at 14 nanometers and above. However, Huawei ideally needs chips of a much smaller nanometer size for more advanced applications, which they are currently struggling to obtain. The smaller the nm size, the better their chips will perform against the giants in the smartphone industry, such as Apple and Samsung.

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Huawei Replaced 13,000 Parts in its Products Since US Supply Chain Ban

Anubhav — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 05:57:03 +0000

Huawei’s entire state changed in the year 2019, when it was placed on the Commerce Department’s entity list, jeopardizing its goal of becoming the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer. This move prevented Huawei from accessing supplies from the U.S. supply chain, which included the Google Mobile Services version of Android. The company even had to develop its own HarmonyOS operating system, which has now reached version 3.1.

A year later, the U.S. Commerce Department added a new export rule that prevented foundries from shipping cutting-edge silicon to Huawei. Although Huawei was allowed to use Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon SoCs, they were modified to be incompatible with 5G networks. The upcoming Enjoy 60 mid-ranger will be powered by a three-year-old Kirin 710A chip. Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei revealed that the company had to replace 13,000 parts in its products due to the U.S. trade sanctions. This resulted in the purchase of domestic substitutes and the redesign of 4,000 circuit boards. Although Reuters was unable to verify Ren’s remarks, the company’s production of circuit boards has since stabilized.

Despite these challenges, Huawei remains committed to research and development, spending $23.8 billion on it last year. The company plans to continue increasing R&D spending as profitability improves. On March 23rd, Huawei is expected to unveil its latest flagship series, the P60 line, the foldable Mate X3, and the mid-range Enjoy 60.

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Huawei may license smartphone designs to Chinese partners to bypass US Sanctions: Report

Sean — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 11:59:44 +0000

Huawei Technologies is apparently planning to take a new step to overcome the challenges it faces with the US Sanctions. The company is planning on working with other smartphone brands to bypass US sanctions, in order to get US technologies.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Chinese tech giant is aiming on licensing its smartphone designs to other brands, which would enable it to gain access to critical US components. The news arrives from sources close to the matter, who claim that the move would enable the company to help its declining smartphone business. For those unaware, Huawei was hit with various US sanctions that restricted its access to technologies that had its origins in the US.

In other words, this basically cut off its supply to key components for its smartphones, while another sanction cut off its chip supply from TSMC. This had effectively crippled its handset operations, but now, the company is considering licensing its designs to a unit of state owned China Postal Telecommunications Appliances Co. or PTAC. This brand will then buy parts that Huawei is banned from acquiring. The unit in question is Xnova, which is also the firm that is selling Huawei’s Nova series of smartphones on its official website.

Nova 9

Furthermore, the partnership is also expected to have the unit offer its self branded handsets that are based on the tech giant’s designs. Other partners include Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer TD Tech Ltd, which will also sell some models that feature Huawei’s designs under its own branding as well. Keep in mind that this is still just an unconfirmed report at the moment, so take it with a pinch of salt. Just last year, the brand even had to sell off its budget smartphone making unit, Honor, and it is now attempting to “salvage” its existing smartphone business.

Oppo pushes for advances in 5G with Ericsson to fill void left by Huawei

Sean — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 13:48:45 +0000

Oppo has partnered up with Ericsson to aggressively push for development and advances in 5G technology. The move arrives to fill the void in the smartphone industry that was left by Huawei, who was blacklisted by the US government.

According to an SCMP report, the Chinese smartphone maker is working with the Swedish telecommunications giant to further advance 5G technologies. Just last week, the former revealed its upgraded communications laboratory in Shenzhen, China through its partnership with Ericsson. This site will be responsible for conducting 5G research and development activities, which include protocol updates and regional tuning to test for upcoming smartphones.

Furthermore, the company’s lab in Shenzhen will also focus on exploring potential killer apps that could fully utilize the “promise of 5G mobile technology,” and also improve the user experience in terms of power consumption, as per Chris Shu, Oppo’s vice president and general manager of product strategy and cooperation. Shu further added that the brand will be using its own software capabilities to push new developments in 5G technology.

At the moment, the smartphone maker is also building its new headquarters in the city. This location will consist of four planned towers, with the tallest one will contain 42 storeys and reach a height of 200 meters. The push for 5G development from Oppo arrives as its rival Huawei, has struggled due to the impact of US sanctions. While Huawei was once a major contender in the smartphone market, its presence has fallen greatly due to the near crippling effect the blacklist caused. Now, the brand faces tighter restrictions when sourcing materials and other technology, which would be the perfect opportunity for Oppo to seize the market.

Huawei ban likely to continue even under Biden’s rule

Ashutosh — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 04:45:01 +0000

After getting blacklisted by the Trump administration in 2019 over national security concerns, Huwaei has been going through a tough time in the smartphone domain. And there appears to be no imminent relief as the U.S. President Joe Biden’s nominee to a post overseeing export policy on China says the Huawei ban is likely to stretch further.

Not just that, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, Alan Estevez has also pledged to keep a close eye on Honor Device Co to see if Huawei has parted ways with the company with an aim to create a cleaner image of Honor and evade or at least minimize the blacklist repercussions. “I’ve seen previous maneuvers by the Chinese,” testifies Estevez at a hearing of the Senate banking committee.

Huawei said it was under tremendous pressure due to the unavailability of components used for smartphone manufacturing due to the ban and therefore, has decided to sell Honor. Huawei says that it is no longer involved in any business operations or management activities of Honor and is not holding any shares as well.

It is also being reported that the Biden administration is considering the option of extending the ban to Honor after lawmakers raised valid concerns about the company in a letter to Commerce Department Secretary Gina Raimondo last month.

Huawei is going to stay on the blacklist as long as the U.S. believes it is a national security threat to them, irrespective of who stays in power. That said, Huawei will incur further losses as it is still on the lookout for alternatives to American components.

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Huawei doubles the use of Chinese components in its new smartphones

Sean — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 10:32:37 +0000

Huawei Technologies has apparently raised the use of components made in China for its newer smartphones. The news arrives as the company steers away from US made parts due to the US sanctions.

According to a NikkeiAsia report, the Chinese tech giant has doubled Chinese components in recently launched phones. Now, the company’s devices house over 60 percent of parts made in its home country. For those unaware, the company had to replace US made parts as the company was placed in the US government’s Entity blacklist which barred it from using many crucial American technology. So now, the brand has been working on using locally manufactured components more parts shipped from overseas.

Nikkei worked with Tokyo based research specialist Fomalhaut Techno Solutions and tore down a Mate 40E model. This handset is 5G enabled and was found to feature Chinese made parts that accounted for about 60 percent of the total value of all components. In other words, it is about twice as much as its predecessor, the Mate 30. Although, Huawei is still using certain key semiconductors like US made chips it still has in its inventory. However, this also means that the company is still reliant on this technology and could face further decline due to its current situation.

Via NikkeiAsia

Notably, Fomalhaut found that a major part of the the rise in Chinese made components share arrived as the company used BOE Technology Group‘s display over a Samsung Electronics panel. The display alone accounts for nearly 30 percent of the overall value of a smartphone. Other notably Chinese parts include Mate 40E’s antenna switch, power control chips, and others like the fingerprint sensor and battery.

Huawei to return for smartphone ‘throne’ despite US Sanctions: Chairman

Sean — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 07:17:58 +0000

The Chairman of Huawei Technologies has just stated that the company aims on returning to the smartphone ‘throne’ despite its handset operations being crippled by the US sanctions.

For those unaware, the former US President Donald Trump had enforced new sanctions on the Chinese tech giant and had it placed on the export blacklist back in 2019. This banned the company from sourcing key technologies that originate from the US, which affected its ability to design its own chips and acquire components from its supply chain. Company’s Chairman Guo Ping stated in a recent Q&A with staff “Everyone knows that phone chips need advanced technology in a small size with low power consumption. Huawei can design it, but no one can help us make it: we’re stuck.”

Although, Guo believes that this issue is solvable, adding that “Huawei will continue to exist in the field of mobile phones and with continuous advances in chip production, the smartphone throne will eventually return.” Despite being one of the largest smartphone makers in the world just two years ago, the brand has since fallen off the the top 5 vendor lists in recent times. Furthermore, the company even had to sell off its budget smartphone unit, Honor, to keep the brand alive.

As of right now, Huawei’s revenue has declined by 29 percent in the first half of this year, which marks its biggest fall. The fall in revenue was especially notable in its consumer business operations like smartphones that saw a sizeable 47 percent decline in revenue, falling to 135.7 billion Yuan (roughly 21 billion US Dollars).

US FCC pushes to advance ban on Huawei and ZTE telecom gear

Sean — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 07:13:52 +0000

Earlier this week, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had unanimously voted to advance its proposed ban on approvals for networking equipment from US telecommunications carriers that are made by Huawei and ZTE.

According to a Reuters report, the US FCC aims to push its proposed bans on the two Chinese telecommunications giants that are considered to be national security threats. The new rules have already won initial approval and would allow FCC to revoke the authorizations issued to the Chinese companies for their equipment. A Huawei spokesperson labeled this FCC revision “misguided and unnecessarily punitive.”

Furthermore, the Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel added that new measures will “exclude untrustworthy equipment from our communications networks… We have left open opportunities for (Huawei and other Chinese equipment) use in the United States through our equipment authorization process. So here we propose to close that door.” Since 2018, the FCC has approved more than 3,000 applications from Huawei, as per FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr.

Although, the new regulations would ban all future authorizations for communications equipment that can potentially be a risk to the national security of the nation. Back in March 2021, the FCC had designated five Chinese firms as a security threat under a 2019 law that aims to protect US communications networks. Notably, Government officials have praised the FCC’s actions stating that the FCC has voted “to put national security first by keeping compromised Chinese equipment out of US telecommunications networks.”

Huawei pushes for advanced semiconductors while retaining HiSilicon workforce: Exec

Sean — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 09:26:58 +0000

Huawei Technologies is apparently determined to develop cutting edge advanced semiconductors. The news arrives despite the company facing US sanctions that cut off its ability to acquire semiconductors from its primary chip supplier, TSMC.

According to a NikkeiAsia report, the Chinese tech giant is resolute in developing class leading semiconductor technology, as per Catherine Chen, a Huawei director and senior vice president. The official also added that the firm has no plans on restructuring its chip design unit, HiSilicon. In other words, the company won’t be laying off anyone from its subsidiary. At the moment, the HiSilicon had more than 7,000 workers back in 2020. This sizeable number would likely be hard to maintain considering the unit is expected to be unable to contribute to the company’s earnings for what could be years.

Although, Chen stated that the company is privately held and is unaffected by external forces, while its management has indicated that it intends to retain HiSilicon despite the US sanctions. The chip designing unit was founded back in 2004 and is considered one of the most advanced chip developers in the world, also known for making the Kirin lineup of processors for Huawei’s smartphones.

In the first quarter of this year, the unit brought in 385 million US Dollars in sale, which marked a sizeable drop of 87 percent from the firm’s highest ever sales from back in Q2 2020. Chen further added that the company will not reduce HiSilicon’s workforce and will continue to develop semiconductors and will manage despite the sanctions that are expected to remain for two to three years. the company would also be promoting their own semiconductor industries and will help HiSilicon gain new supply chain partners that do not rely on US technology.

Huawei seeks to hold talks with Biden administration over its trade ban

Sean — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 10:28:53 +0000

Huawei is apparently hoping to hold talks with the Biden administration to address its current trade ban. The company wishes to talk “separately” from Beijing in an effort to resolve the US export ban that it is currently facing.

According to a NikkeiAsia report, the reason for the talks would also discuss the detention of the Chinese tech giant’s CFO Meng Wanzhou. As per Tim Danks, vice president of risk management and partner relations at Huawei Technologies USA, “We want to have a discussion [with the U.S. administration] separately from the Chinese government. We don’t want to be lumped into that discussion.” At the moment, the company has yet to speak with the new Biden administration but hopes to hold discussions soon.

For those unaware, the Trump administration had placed the Chinese brand into an export blacklist called Entity List over security risk allegations. This essentially cut off its ability to buy crucial components from American firms. But now, the company is hoping for “adjustments and issuing of temporary general licenses,” which will allow US based companies to continue selling to the Chinese brand.

Tim Danks further added that “In the near term, selling in the U.S. is not a priority for Huawei. Our priority is the supply chain.” However, Biden’s nominee for secretary of commerce, Gina Raimondo had previously stated that she “would use the full tool kit at my disposal to protect America and our networks from Chinese interference or any back-door influence in our network, whether that be Huawei, ZTE or any other company.” So it remains to be seen what stance the new administration would take, even if the talks are held with Huawei.

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Huawei won’t face a ban in Brazil, regulator approves 5G Spectrum auction rules

Sean — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 07:25:41 +0000

Anatel, the telecom regulator of Brazil, has just recently approved the rules for a spectrum auction for 5G networks earlier this week. The auction will be set sometime later this year, and will not exclude Huawei Technologies.

For those unaware, the Chinese tech giant is a major brand in the telecommunications industry and is one of the largest suppliers of telecom equipments as well. However, it had been facing various allegations over the past year, which led it to face a ban in multiple regions across the globe. Last year, even the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, had criticized the company and was also under pressure from the former Trump administration regarding a ban on the Chinese telecom provider from the nation’s 5G market.

But as per a Reuters report, the company will not face any ban in the region, despite previously being accused of being a security risk. Notably, the telecom operators in Brazil had been advocating for a free market, stating that banning Huawei would cost the companies billion of dollars to replace the equipment provided by the Chinese equipment supplier. At the moment, about 50 percent of the entire 3G and 4G networking infrastructure is supplied by Huawei.

The rules of the auction will also arrive with costly conditions, requiring telecom operators to migrate to more advanced technology with standalone networks and not based on their current technology. Furthermore, the companies will also be required to cover the bast northern Amazon region with a broadband connectivity, through the use of optic fiber cables that will be laid in rivers, and also building a separate and secure network for the federal government.

Huawei reportedly tells suppliers to expect a 60% drop in its component orders this year

Jed John Ikoba — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 01:16:12 +0000

Huawei has reportedly informed suppliers of key smartphone components that they should expect a drop in orders of up to 60% of its components. This is coming in the wake of the US ban which has almost crippled the company’s smartphone business.

Huawei recently hinted that it wasn’t considering selling the smartphone business. But it can’t be business as usual as the Chinese tech giant has obviously almost run out of chip inventory and unless there is an intervention from the new US administration, the company will totally run out of inventory soon.

Asian Nikkei reports that the Chinese tech giant is only planning to order components for between 70-80 million phone units for the entire year. Although the US ban was in effect last year, Huawei shipped 189 million units which means the company expects a 60% drop in phone shipments this year. It should be noted that last year’s shipment was a far cry from the 240 million phones Huawei shipped in 2019.

In addition, the telecommunications giant won’t be releasing too many flagship models this year, as a result of its inability to source components for 5G phones. Instead,m the company will release 4G phones more. However, we still expect to see a few 5G models such as the Mate X2 and Huawei P50.

Sadly, we can’t tell when things will return to normal for Huawei. US Commerce secretary nominee has told a Senate committee during her screening that she has seen “no reason” to lift the trade restrictions off Huawei, maintaining that the company poses a risk to national security.

The Honor business is already a casualty as Huawei was forced to sell-off. Could the current state of things force Huawei to sell its smartphone business as well? Let us know what you think in the comments section

Huawei ready to transfer its 5G tech, source code, and more to push global innovation

Sean — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 09:53:15 +0000

Earlier this week, Huawei announced that it is open and ready to transfer its 5G technology, its source codes, proprietary and secretive hardware designs and more just to push global innovation.

According to a BusinessStandard report, the Chinese tech giant, which is also the one that holds the maximum number of patents for 5G technology, made the statement back on Wednesday. Huawei Founder and CEO, Ren Zhengfei, said that “We are open to transferring all of our 5G technologies, not just licensing production to others. This will include source programmes and source code to all the hardware design secrets as well as the know-how, and the chip design.”

The senior executive made the statement during the opening ceremony of the intelligent mining innovation lab in Taiyuan. Over the last several months, a few regions like the US, Australia, the UK, and some European nations have banned the company from selling its 5G equipment to local telecom operators over alleged security risks. Huawei has actively denied any allegations and has even called for open trade policies.

Ren further added that “Both the US and China need to develop their economies, as this is good for our society and financial balance. Everyone needs this. As humanity keeps making progress, no company can develop a globalized industry alone. It requires concerted efforts around the world.” The statement from Huawei is likely to create transparency between the OEM and various governments, since it has been accused of being a front for the Chinese government and its interests on multiple occasions.

Huawei asks US courts to overturn its national security threat designation

Sean — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 08:07:14 +0000

Huawei has filed another lawsuit against the US government. This time the company has decided to fight the US FCC (Federal Communications Commission) ruling that designated the firm as a national security threat.

According to a ZDNet report, the Chinese tech giant has stated in the complaint that the national security designation could impact its financial interests of the telecommunications industry as well. For those unaware, the FCC had designated the company as a national security risk, along with ZTE. This caused the US based telecom operators being unable to purchase equipment or services from both the Chinese brands.

Furthermore, the former US President Donald Trump had also signed a legislation, which barred the US companies from using federal funds to purchase equipment from companies that have the national security threat designation. Thus, the US also had to set up a 1 billion US Dollar reimbursement program to help smaller telecoms with the cost of replacing equipment provided from Huawei and ZTE.

Apart from the FCC, the smartphone maker also filed a lawsuit against the agency claiming that it unconstitutionally enforced the ban. However, this was eventually dismissed last February on the grounds that the Congress was within its rights to enforce the ban. Huawei has also filed a legal action requesting for the law that enforced the ban to be overturned, which is currently being considered by the courts.

Ericsson lobbied against Huawei’s 5G ban in Sweden: Report

Sean — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 07:29:55 +0000

Borje Ekholm, the CEO of Ericsson, had apparently lobbied to overturn the ban on Huawei in Sweden, which prevented the company from participating in the roll out of 5G networking in the region.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Ericsson CEO had pressured a Swedish minister to reverse the ban on Huawei and ZTE as well. Reportedly, Ekholm had lobbied Foreign Trade Minister Anna Hallberg via a series of phone messages to review an order by the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS). For those unaware, this order was to operators that were required to remove networking equipment that was bought from the Chinese companies and replacing it from their infrastructure by January 2025.

An Ericsson spokesperson has confirmed the news that Ekholm was in contact with the minister. Furthermore, the news also arrives after Hallberg said that she did not have any contact with PTS and would never step in as minister and influence the decisions made by individual authorities. Halberg further added that she had never met with Ekholm regarding the matter. Similarly, Jacob Wallenberg, deputy chair of Ericsson’s board of directors, had previously said that “stopping Huawei is definitely not good.”

At the moment, Ericsson brings in 10 percent of its total sales from China, with Huawei being one of its biggest rivals as a telecommunications equipment provider. Notably, China had even warned that the Swedish companies would also see “negative impacts” from the ban if the decision wasn’t reversed. Although, the Swedish Prime Minister, Stefan Lofven is standing by the decision of the authority.

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Huawei ban will have 5G cost “a lot more”: Brazil Vice President

Sean — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 07:26:30 +0000

The Brazilian Vice President, Hamilton Mourão, has spoken in support for Huawei, sparking a controversy. The official stated that the cost of 5G networking in the region will significantly rise if the Chinese tech giant is banned from providing its telecom equipment for the newer and faster bandwidth.

Earlier this week, the Vice President attended an industry event held by the São Paulo Trade Association where he revealed an estimate provided by the Brazilian telecommunications agency Anatel, which reported that gear from Huawei represents about 40 percent of the 3G and 4G infrastructure in the country. So, Mourão issued a warning that outright banning the company will have various additional costs, as per a ZDNet report.

Mourão stated that, “If Huawei can’t supply the [5G] equipment, the cost will be a lot higher.” He further added that an infrastructure review will incur additional costs that would have to relayed to the consumers as well. The Vice President even went on to talk about the Brazil 5G auction that was set to take place in March 2020, but has since been postponed to 2021. Mourão noted that any company that “demonstrate respect to [Brazil’s] sovereignty, privacy and cost efficiency” will be able to carry out operations in the nation.

However, increasing pressures from the US and the Trump administration to ban the Chinese tech giant last year, after the US President met the Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro. The Vice President believes that Brazil “can’t miss out on the 5G opportunity” and that the government should not interfere with Chinese company’s activities as long as the firm creates local jobs and complies with the local laws.

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Brazil seeks legal options to Ban Huawei from its 5G network: Report

Sean — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 06:45:05 +0000

Huawei might be facing trouble in Brazil as the government could be looking for legal options to exclude it from its 5G infrastructure, as per sources close to the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s government.

According to a Reuters report, Bolsonaro’s security adviser, Augusto Heleno, and the ministry of communications is considering a presidential decree that might put in place new security provisions for telecoms. This will have carriers and their suppliers required to comply with certain standards, as per the sources. Bolsonaro is seemingly following his ally, Donald Trump’s footsteps and is also opposed to Huawei over alleged national security risk and espionage from the Chinese government.

However, China is the largest trade partner for Brazil, so the ban might have the government face friction with the Chinese government as well. Thus, Bolsonaro is already facing resistance from within the industry and from within his own government as well, including Vice President Hamilton Mourão. At the moment, Brazil’s Communications Minister Fabio Faria has declined to comment on the matter and his office has stated that it is not involved in the matter.

Furthermore, representatives from the industry have also stated that such a presidential decree could also lead to a legal battle with multiple telecom companies that are already utilizing equipment made by Huawei. The carriers will likely oppose the ruling as well, since shifting away from their Chinese suppliers might force them to make expensive replacements in their networking gear. Currently, a majority of Brazilian telecom operators utilize Huawei equipment on their 3G and 4G networks. So, a complete ban of the Chinese tech giant might arrive at a major cost for Brazil alongside straining relationship with China.

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Huawei willing to accept Swedish government’s terms to end 5G ban

Sean — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 05:47:19 +0000

Huawei is apparently ready to accept any terms or requirements that the Swedish government may set on its 5G networking equipment. The company will also be willing to accept any measures to address any other concerns as well to avoid a complete ban in the country.

According to a senior executive from Huawei, the Chinese tech giant is willing to accept any terms after it faced a ban in the region, which also caused a delay in Sweden’s spectrum auction as well. For those unaware, Chinese telecommunications equipment providers Huawei and ZTE faced a ban in Sweden after the country’s telecom regulator PTS banned the use of equipment from both the companies.

However, since then Huawei has managed to win a court injunction and is even awaiting an appeal from PTS. Kenneth Fredriksen, Huawei Executive Vice President, said that “We are even willing to meet extraordinary requirements, such as setting up test facilities for our equipment in Sweden, for example, if they want to,” in a statement to Reuters. The senior executive further added that the company is “now in the middle of the court process, but we are willing to have pragmatic discussions. I can’t give you a concrete plan, but of course we will fight for our rights.”

In recent months, Europe has followed in the United States’ footsteps and have tightened regulations against Chinese made 5G networking equipment, alleging that the technology might be used by the Chinese government for spying and espionage. At the moment, the 5G spectrum auction has been delayed over the Huawei ban in Sweden, which is the second nation after the UK to ban the company. The date for the appeal court has yet to be set, so stay tuned for more updates regarding the matter.

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Huawei rivals seek to steal market share amid its troubles with the US

Sean — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 09:11:15 +0000

With Huawei facing troubles with the US and its reinforced restrictions, other Chinese smartphone manufacturers and rivals are making aggressive pushes to seize the market share of the Chinese tech giant.

After facing ramped up sanctions from the US, Huawei has been facing increasing pressure from its rivals as well. As per an industry insider close to the matter, companies like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo are seeking to capitalize on the gap in the market left by Huawei. Notably, the company also sold its budget handset business, Honor, earlier this month. Honor spinning of from its parent company also secured its supply chain from the scrutiny faced by Huawei from the US.

During this moment, Huawei’s rivals can sense an opportunity in the mid to high end smartphone market. This also arrives after an exec had revealed that Huawei would not be able to produce its flagship processors that power its high end flagships, as per a Reuters report. According to Derek Wang, a Realme official, “What we can see now, whether from Xiaomi, Oppo or Vivo, is that they’re raising their forecasts for next year. They believe the sanctions against Huawei will more or less hurt it in the international market, and they may want to take a share of the market from Huawei.”

Image Via Canalys

In other words, the aggressive moves from other Chinese OEM rivals will not only be restricted to their home country in China, and will also extend to overseas markets as well. For those unaware, the US Commerce Department reinforced its restrictions against Huawei, which disrupted its supply chain. Interestingly, with the market recovering, orders have also ramped up with Xiaomi already placing 100 million handset orders between Q4 2020 to Q1 2021. Similarly, Oppo and Vivo are also projected to raise orders to 90 million and 70 million, respectively. On the other hand, Huawei orders fell by 55 percent to just 42 percent during the same period. So, the impacts of the sanctions are clearly visible.

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Kioxia delays IPO as concerns rise amidst US-China tensions and Huawei ban

Sean — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 07:47:46 +0000

Kioxia Holdings, the former Toshiba memory unit, and the world’s second largest NAND flash memory chipmaker has announced that it has postponed its initial public offerings plan amid US-China trade tensions.

According to Nobuo Hayasaka, Kioxia CEO and President, “While we received significant interest from many investors, the lead underwriters and Kioxia do not believe it is in the best interest of current or prospective shareholders to proceed with the IPO at this time of continued market volatility and ongoing concerns about a second wave of the pandemic.” In other words, the company is bracing for the impact of the US sanctions on Huawei alongside the ongoing pandemic.

As per a Nikkei report, the recent reinforcement of regulations against the Chinese tech giant, Huawei, had also affected the decision for the Japanese company. For those unaware, Huawei is a known client of Kioxia. Furthermore, the IPO itself had also garnered a lot of criticism from investors as the company was planned to list at a value of around 14 billion US Dollars, which would have been Japan’s largest IPO this year. However, the company was only actually offering just over 800 million US Dollars for the initial prospectus, which is nowhere near the funding it requires for its planned investments.

Kioxia has said that it would not give up on its IPO and would reschedule for the end of this year or the beginning of 2021. However, a source close to the matter stated that the “Huawei concerns will hardly be solved in the next three to four months.” 40 percent of all Kioxia sales are contributed by smartphone memory chips, and with the US sanctions taking effect from 15th September 2020, the company will lose a notable customer that made up just under 10 percent of its total sales.

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US ban on Huawei may affect Korean chip exports in the short term

Sean — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 08:59:20 +0000

A report from the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) revealed last week that the latest US sanctions against Huawei may directly affect the export of semiconductors from South Korea.

According to a Business Korea report, banning Huawei’s access to all types of semiconductors may have its impact felt in South Korean semiconductors as well. Albeit, the impact would only be for the short term. For those unaware, the Trump administration revised its Export Administration Regulations to put even more pressure on Huawei and its overseas subsidiaries to prevent the Chinese tech giant from gaining semiconductors through any loopholes.

The institute further added that “China will redouble its efforts to reduce its external dependence in the semiconductor sector and this means South Korea needs to focus more on staying ahead of China in terms of technological strength.” In other words, despite Huawei being the only target, the US restrictions will have China raise its efforts to be more self sufficient and advance its domestic semiconductor industry.

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Pentagon attains temporary waiver from Trump Administration’s Huawei ban

Sean — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 10:18:55 +0000

The Pentagon has managed to receive a brief waiver from the Trump administration regarding a government wide ban on contractors that use Huawei, or other Chinese made telecommunications equipment.

According to a Defense News report, an obtained internal memo has revealed that the Pentagon has received a weeks long reprieve, until 30th September 2020, for doing business with the Department of Defense. The request for the waiver arrives after the firms were still reeling from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The original provision was to take effect on 14th August 2020.

At the moment, the administration is finalizing regulations that would prohibit government contracting with companies that have their supply chains contain products from certain high risk Chinese vendors. These include Huawei as mandated under of Section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act. The government has considered the Chinese tech giant as an espionage threat.

John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence, granted he Pentagon a temporary waiver, citing US national security interests. This brief reprieve will also offer time to further assess a broader waiver request from the Department of Defense. The move arrives as a temporary win for firms and trade associations representing them, who lobbied against the ban.

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Huawei works harder to reduce reliance on US technology: Report

Sean — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 11:29:55 +0000

In recent times, Huawei has been facing troubles in the west. The tech giant had faced a ban in the US back in 2019, and its aftershocks can still be observed. The company has faced various accusations around this time as well, and while the US is actively working on hampering its operations in the west, Huawei is reportedly trying to reduce its reliance on US based technologies themselves.

As it stands right now, the various allegations of espionage, links to the Chinese government, risk of security, is but a few of the accusations Huawei has faced from the US. The same can even be said to certain European regions as well, where the US is also applying pressure. However, the company is standing on its resolve of becoming completely self sufficient as it is further trying to reduce the US based technological aspects it currently applies to its offerings.

To become completely independent, the company has focused its efforts on developing its own core technologies. These include it’s in house chip manufacturing processes, design and more. The move will make Huawei completely self dependent but would affect the various Taiwanese companies that Huawei often works with.

Huawei’s Kirin chipsets are manufactured by TSMC

Various suppliers will lose out deals or contracts that be valued for a very high sum. However, the supply of technologies like display driver chips, sensors, wireless transmission chips, and analog chips will still be contracted to suppliers, considering that the company is focusing on Core areas only, for now. Currently, Huawei is working on making its own processors and AI chips while simultaneously working on wired and wireless connectivity chips as well, which should roll out by Q2 of 2020.

(Via)

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Google plans on rebuilding ties with Huawei: Report

Sean — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 07:00:44 +0000

A new report has just surfaced that is related to the business ties between Google and Huawei. The latter is currently banned from using the former’s services on its smartphones, but it seems like the search engine giant is trying to appeal this ruling and try and rebuild business relations.

Back in early 2019, Huawei was dealt a decisive blow by the US Government’s Commerce Department. The Chinese tech giant was placed on the “Entity List” which has banned the company from collaborating or using technology and software from companies based in the US. One such brand was Google and Huawei smartphones since have not arrived with official Google services.

Huawei Mate 30 Pro did not arrive with preloaded Google services

Thus, Huawei smartphones since the Mate 30 series do not arrive with Google services and feature the vanilla Android OS alongside HMS (Huawei Mobile Services). However, it seems like Google is planning on gaining special permission from the White House that will allow it to partner with Huawei again. Interestingly, a Huawei executive had stated a few weeks prior that the company will not work with Google even if the ban was removed. However, this statement alone may not represent the entire company’s wishes as the statement has already been backtracked on.

This is great news but whether Huawei is still leaning on Google services is still unknown. As it stands right now, the smartphone brand is willing to spend billions in its own HMS and AppGallery service, which is the world’s third largest App Store. The move will also seek to distance a large number of Android users from Google’s ecosystem that will ultimately hurt the company. Hence, it arrives as no surprise if Google actually ends up receiving special permission.

Unfortunately, finer details are still at large as it is unclear if whether Google wishes to rebuild ties or just simply gain additional permissions for its Open Source program. The news first broke by overseas German and Spanish media outlets and also detailed that the decision on the special permission is yet to be decided by the US President, Donald Trump.

(Source,Via)

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Huawei dares the US to publish proof against it, Reiterates it doesn’t have access to backdoors

Joel Joseph — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 02:48:20 +0000

Earlier this week, U.S officials made bold statements against Huawei saying how the company had the capability to secretly access sensitive and personal information in the systems it maintains across the world. The officials claimed that these so-called “backdoors” allow the company to spy on networks. In fact, a couple of days back, the US Department of Justice filed a formal indictment against Huawei, accusing it of several serious charges like racketeering, conspiracy, and theft.

The officials said they had evidence to show Huawei had backdoor access, but so far, they have failed to show it to the world. And yesterday, Huawei’s cybersecurity chief hit back at those officials daring them to publish this evidence. Huawei’s cybersecurity chief John Suffolk said, “We just say: ‘Don’t hide it, don’t be shy. Publish it, let the world see it’.”

He explained that Huawei had to connect its equipment to the ‘lawful intercept gateway’ required by governments but had no access to it, which are often kept in a special room. These are the backdoors in the network which can tap into calls and data for law enforcement agencies under specific circumstances like that of a court order.

Suffolk said, “We have no access to this equipment, we don’t know what call or information is being intercepted, we don’t know when it is intercepted – all we do is provide one side of the box which is blind to what’s happening on the other side of the box.”

“I’m not aware of any operator who has said to Huawei: ‘Come and sit in this room and see what’s going on’,” he said.

“If I found out that our staff were involved with such things, then we would take appropriate action on that.”

He also added how the claims about Huawei stealing trade secrets from competitors didn’t make sense because if it was true, its competitors should have been growing at a significant rate. He said that if Huawei had stolen lucrative trade secrets from its competition, then these companies should have been doing at least as well as Huawei.

“The faith of our customers — and you can see this in the results over the past 30 years — gives an indication of what our customers think of those allegations,” Suffolk said.

(Source)

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Huawei & ZTE to FCC: Don’t Label us as a ‘National Security Risk’

Joel Joseph — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 16:59:18 +0000

Huawei and ZTE are urging the FCC not to label them as a ‘National Security Risk’. The agency had initially voted to designate the two tech giants as security risks for the US back in November 2019. But the final decision rests with the agency’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. And both companies are hoping that this risk designation won’t be finalized by the Bureau.

In a 200-page filing by Huawei, the telecommunications giant said that FCC’s efforts to designate it as a national security risk was, “designed to implement a campaign by certain government officials, including members of Congress, to single out Huawei for burdensome and stigmatizing restrictions, put it out of business in the United States, and impugn its reputation here and around the world.” In a similar move, ZTE’s filings asked FCC to assess the company’s efforts in “enhancements in the area of U.S. export controls and economic sanction compliance and security controls in ZTE products”.

Rural carriers in the US are currently barred from using federal subsidies to purchase equipment from Huawei.

Despite its struggle in the US, the company seems to be doing well internationally. Recently, both the UK and the EU decided to allow Huawei in their 5G deployment, albeit on a limited scale. This goes against the US’ request to put a blanket ban on the Chinese company.

Huawei has long argued that the US ban doesn’t provide any proof to support its claims of “backdoor access” or “national security threat”. It also adds that competitors like Nokia and Ericsson make some of their telecommunications equipment in China, exposing them to similar risks. In fact, back in December 2019, Huawei filed a lawsuit against the US government over FCC’s branding of the company as a ‘National Security Risk’.

(Source)

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EU allows Huawei to build its 5G network in a limited capacity

Joel Joseph — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 07:36:06 +0000

After the UK approved the use of Huawei’s equipment in its market, the EU has followed suit to allow the Chinese telecommunications manufacturer to help build its 5G network. This decision comes with a set of guidelines for its member nations called the toolbox. EU nations will have to implement the guidelines mentioned in this toolbox by 30th April 2020.

The toolbox is the EU’s solution to finding a middle ground in the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China. It contains a set of mitigating measures to address the security risks associated with the rollout of 5G in the region. It suggests member countries to omit high-risk vendors like Huawei from the ‘core’ 5G network infrastructure. Further, it calls for diversification of the supply of equipment by network operators.

In short, Huawei will be allowed to take part in building EU’s 5G networks but only in the non-core areas of the infrastructure. So, mobile operators can use Chinese network equipment in the peripheral parts of the network like access networks. Although this would limit Huawei’s participation in the EU’s 5G rollout, it still goes against the pre-emptive blanket ban recommended by the U.S.

This seems to be a logical move by the European Union, given how China is its second-biggest trading partner after the United States. Further, the EU is China’s biggest trading partner. So, a complete ban on Huawei equipment wouldn’t have been a wise choice. Further, it follows the UK’s decision to allow Huawei in building its 5G networks in a limited capacity.

The UK announced yesterday that it would allow Huawei equipment in building its 5G network in the non-core areas. However, at no point would Chinese equipment exceed 35% in any part of its network. This decision made by the U.S. ally is yet another blow to the Trump administration who has urged everyone to outright ban Huawei from participating in the deployment of 5G networks.

Currently, top mobile network operators in the UK are all using Huawei equipment for their 5G networks in some capacity. However, after yesterday’s decision by the government, it remains to be seen how many of them will have to replace existing equipment with other brands.

(Source)

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Richard Yu: Huawei shipments to reach 230 million by the end of 2019

Sean — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 07:39:06 +0000

According to Richard Yu, the CEO of Consumer Business of Huawei, the global shipments for smartphones from Huawei will reach around 230 million by the end of 2019. The statement was made by the Senior Executive at an internal conference.

Back in 2018, the Chinese tech giant had its smartphone sales surpass the 200 million mark, reaching about 206 million units shipped in total. By the time 2018 ended, the President of Huawei, He Gang, mentioned that the global smartphone market was not in an optimal state, pointing at the company’s own figures. Thus, the President mentioned that Richard Yu’s expectations are high and estimated that the target for 2019 would be between 230 million to 250 million shipments.

Huawei’s Richard Yu

Earlier this year, Huawei faced complications with the US Government when its Commerce Department put the company under the Entity List which limited its operations in the country. This marked the smartphone maker as a national security threat with data security in mind and has since also faced similar accusations in European regions as well. Undoubtedly, all of these had a major hand to play in its overall global smartphone shipments.

Huawei had many obstacles on its way to achieving its yearly goals. Many key companies like Google, ARM, and more had to end their business ties with the Chinese company due to the US Government’s actions. So the fact that the company is still set on the preconceived speculations is a testament of its own efforts.

US-China Trade Disputes (with Huawei being caught in th crossfires)

Previously, Huawei announced that it had reached its goal 64 days in advance by selling more than 200 million smartphones by just 22nd October 2019. Thus, it is highly likely that the large 230 million shipments will be met by the end of this year. Notably, the shipments are also very likely to exceed Apple’s full year sales in 2019.

(Via)

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Disputes over Huawei security threats leads to Czechs Cybersecurity Chief being fired

Sean — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 07:15:42 +0000

Huawei, the smartphone manufacturer, has faced multiple issues and allegations from different western Governments over the past one year. These accusations are generally related to security and information and have seen it receive a ban in the US and issues in its European region of operations as well.

Now, the Chinese tech giant is facing more problems, but this time in Eastern Europe, in the Czech Republic; as amidst the disputes regarding Huawei’s security threat, the country’s Cybersecurity Chief has just been fired.

Huawei being caught in the crossfires of the US-China Trade Disputes

According to a new report, Dusan Navratil, who became the first director of the National Cyber and Information security Agency (also knows as Nukib), has just been fired by the leading Government. This arrives after he was alleged to lack experience, managerial skills, and communication expertise for the job. Reportedly, the Czech Government unanimously agreed to the dismissal of Navratil, who also served as head of the National Security Authority for 10 years.

Navratil said he was “surprised” over this sudden dismissal by the Prime Minister and has refused to comment further on the situation. The cybersecurity chief was known for being involved in a year-long controversy over his December 2018 reports that condemned Chinese brands like Huawei and ZTE for being national security threats.

After the report, Government agencies were banned from using Huawei smartphones by the Prime Minister, Babis, but ordered more evidence for the accusation. Since then, a Nukib spokesperson has denied any ties or pressures from the US Government regarding the decision against Huawei; citing, “it surprised the US authorities as much as it surprised Huawei.”

Czech Republic’s Cybersecurity Chief, Dusan Navratil

It is still unclear if the dismissal of the Navratil is based on his allegations against Huawei, which is expanding in Europe to better take on its western competitors. According to Cui Hongjian, the director of China Institute of International Studies think tank, Huawei has been in a chaotic position in the Czech Republic which is also indicative of the broader trend in Europe regarding the company and 5G networking as a whole.

(Source)

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Huawei sues the U.S. government again, this time over FCC restrictions

Joel Joseph — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 15:57:26 +0000

Huawei has sued the U.S. government over the recent FCC restrictions that further curbs what little business the company has left in the U.S. The lawsuit challenges a decision taken by the FCC that prohibits rural carriers in the country from using federal subsidies to purchase Huawei equipment.

This is the second such lawsuit from Huawei in the U.S. after it first challenged the ban on the sale of its products to federal agencies back in March. The latest lawsuit was filed in New Orleans against the FCC after it branded the company as a ‘national security threat’ and restricted the sale of Huawei equipment to rural U.S. carriers by blocking access to the Universal Service Fund (USF) for purchases from both Huawei and ZTE.

Huawei’s business with rural U.S. carriers is minimal in comparison to its massive 105 billion revenue posted in 2018. However, it says that such decisions create a stigma around the company which will affect its ability to grow its business globally. Branding a multinational company like Huawei as a national security threat would indeed affect its reputation around the world.

For example, prime minister Boris Johnson recently said that the UK could block Huawei from investing in its 5G networks. Even Japanese carriers have excluded Huawei from 5G deployment. But the company has already signed 50 5G contracts with carriers around the world. So, it’s very important that Huawei protects its reputation on a global scale.

Huawei argues that the U.S. ban doesn’t provide any proof to support its claims of “backdoor access” or “national security threat”. Also, given how competitors like Nokia and Ericsson make a lot of their telecommunications equipment in China, the claim of China-made gear threatening U.S. security also applies to Huawei’s competitors.

“Both FCC chairman Ajit Pai and other FCC commissioners failed to present any evidence to prove their claim that Huawei constitutes a security threat, and ignored the facts and objections raised by Huawei and rural carriers after the FCC first made the proposal in March 2018,” said Huawei’s Chief Legal Officer Song Liuping at a press conference in Shenzhen that was live-streamed.

The new Matebook lineup comes with Windows 10 after Microsoft received a license to trade with Huawei

This lawsuit comes at a time when some companies like Microsoft were granted a special license to trade with Huawei. It remains to be seen whether this move from Huawei will have any effect on future license approvals from the U.S. commerce department.

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Huawei manages in making smartphones without American Parts

Sean — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 13:45:40 +0000

Following the US-China trade disputes, the US Government has started to ease off on Chinese based companies. The issuing of licenses to firms to perform business partnerships with banned companies like Huawei is one such example. This has allowed American companies to resume their relations with the Chinese tech giant but it might be too late as Huawei is now building its smartphones without US-based parts.

US-China Trade Disputes (Leaders of Respective Nations)

Earlier this year, Huawei was placed on the ‘Entity List.’ After this, the Chinese company was forced to end ties with many of its American based partners after being issued a ban by the US Commerce Department. Initially, the move proved to cripple the company that relied on western companies like Google for Android OS support, ARM for its chipsets and other companies like Intel and Qualcomm as well. However, a new report suggests that the company no longer requires US-based chipsets anymore.

Huawei’s Mate 30 smartphone is a symbol of this new breed of smartphones which doesn’t feature any US parts. This was proven once the device was taken apart by analysts from UBS and Fomalhaut Techno Solutions which is a Japanese technology lab. The Chinese company has made great strides in distancing themselves and their reliance on the US.

Note: Huawei still uses US-based company’s chipsets but they are manufactured and synthesized in foreign countries.

Huawei Mate 30 5G and Mate 30 Pro 5G

According to analysts, Huawei made a big statement with the release of the aforementioned flagship smartphone that shipped with no US-made internals. Furthermore, even with Huawei previously announcing its move to do away with American parts, the company is currently in a great position owing to how quickly the shift actually came about.

(Source)

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Huawei to pay all its employees special bonuses for their resilience in the face of US ban

Jed John Ikoba — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 12:25:47 +0000

Huawei has been the most talked-about tech company, thanks to the simmering trade embargo slammed on the company by the US government. The company has continued to forge ahead, with an impressive H1 2019 phone shipments. The second half of the year is also looking promising with the Mate 30 series breaking barriers despite the US ban which ensured the sleek smartphone shipped with official Google Services.

Huawei isn’t forgetting is staff who made wading through the stormy water looked easy. The tech giant has disclosed that it will double the salaries of its over 190,000 employees in October to thank them for enduring the Trump administration’s blacklisting of the Chinese company for allegedly spying on behalf of the Chinese government.

An internal message to staff obtained by the Nikkei Asian Review read; “In 2019, the company and all employees were, and are, facing extraordinarily external challenges. Upon approval by the company’s president, a special dedication award will be paid.”

The memo also revealed that the bonus will be distributed to all active employees of Huawei and its direct subsidiaries with a performance rating above C and no information security violations. The bonus will be equal to each staff member’s basic October salary. Huawei presently has 194,000 employees spread across 170 countries.

(source)

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Commerce Department will soon allow US companies to restore relations with Huawei

Sahil — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 08:17:34 +0000

Earlier this year, the U.S Commerce Department designated Huawei to a blacklist which restrained all American companies from having any sort of trade relations with the Chinese corporation. Several reports in the past have suggested that the ban could soon be uplifted but none of them has come to fruition.

Nevertheless, the Secretary of Commerce Department, Wilbur Ross recently told Bloomberg in an interview that special licenses allowing US companies to deal with Huawei would arrive “very shortly. The Commerce Department has received close to 260 requests from American corporations allowing them to re-establish trade relations with Huawei which is “more than we would’ve thought,” reported the U.S official.

While Ross didn’t state as to which U.S based companies had applied for licenses, it must be noted that not all of these corporations would be granted a license once the new standards of the Commerce Department are put into practice. One company that is highly likely to get this exception is Google, that leads the development of Android.

Following the blacklist entitlement, Huawei could not offer new phones with Google services including Play Store out of the box which has negatively impacted their sales. Therefore, a more permanent license could allow Google and Huawei to restore business like prior.

On the other hand, the companies that are highly unlikely to get a license include Telecom providers. After all, it was Huawei’s networking equipment which led to the allegation of posing a security threat to the U.S. To recall, the U.S has accused Huawei of installing backdoors on its telecom equipment which could be used to steal sensitive user data. However, due to lack of sufficient evidence, the claims are yet to be proved.

Noteworthy, FCC has proposed banning telecom providers from using Huawei hardware. Furthermore, the ones that continue to use equipment made by the Chinese corporation will be exempted from Universal Service Fund money.

Stay tuned for future updates!

(source, via)

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U.S. Companies could soon get the green-light to sell to Huawei

Joel Joseph — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 09:50:49 +0000

As the US-China trade talks resume, Huawei reportedly has a ray of hope. According to the latest report, the Trump administration is ready to approve some licenses that allow U.S. companies to sell goods and services to Huawei. This should come as a respite to the Chinese telecommunications giant whose products like the Huawei Mate 30 Pro haven’t had a proper international release.

Huawei Mate 30 Pro is one of the best smartphones in the market today but does not come with Google apps

NYTimes reports that these approved licenses will allow a ‘select few American companies’ to resume selling their products to Huawei. It is worth adding that back in August, the U.S. government had received over 130 license requests for the same. But it’s possible only a select few of these requests will be approved.

Without Google apps, the Huawei Mate 30 series is practically DOA in the international market. So the company needs to get Google back on board. Also, its position in the global smartphone market is at risk, with Apple predicted to overtake Huawei by the end of this year. Even Samsung’s smartphone department posted better than expected results last quarter, at Huawei’s expense.

Huawei’s global flagship store in Shenzhen

However, Huawei’s fate will ride on how the trade negotiations go between these two countries this week. And the atmosphere is quite tensed right now after China slammed U.S. companies for supporting Hong Kong. In fact, recently, Chinese companies like Vivo, Tencent, and CCTV suspended ties with the American NBA association after a Houston Rockets executive tweeted supporting Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters.

(Source)

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US threatens to punish allies if they purchase 5G equipment from Huawei

Sahil — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 10:08:11 +0000

Earlier this year, the US Commerce Department designated Huawei to an entity list which bars all American corporations from having any sort of trade relations with the Chinese giant. The designation was entitled over allegations that the devices sold by Huawei have backdoors that could be used by the Chinese government and this fact poses a national security threat to the USA.

Not only has the Trump administration barred Huawei from selling networking equipment and other products in the US, it has also been warning allies not to purchase from the Chinese corporation.

A couple of days after imposing the trade ban, the US government gave a 90 day window to Huawei which it could use to purchase new equipment from American companies and setup servers which would allow its existing users to continue using the company’s services.

When the first 90-day window expired, the U.S. Commerce Department allowed a similar 90-day window which will shut in the month of November and will most likely stay closed forever.

According to a latest Bloomberg report, Rob Strayer, the State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for cyber policy has threatened that the US could cut-off intelligence-sharing agreements or otherwise punish its allies in some way if they purchase 5G networking equipment from Huawei.

The European Union is expected to release an assessment report next month which would include security risks that implementation of 5G networks could pose. Subsequently, members of the European Union will have to get the networking equipment to be certified as secure before they are purchased and put to use in that country.
However, this could lead to disputes as some European Union countries, Hungary, in particular, considers Huawei as a strategic partner and important supplier of equipment for the next generation of telecommunication, 5G.

While the US seems to have a firm stance against Huawei and its offerings, a senior executive of the Chinese corporation does not believe likewise.

At the launch of the Huawei Mate 30 lineup, which took place on the 19th of September, Huawei’s consumer group chief, Richard Yu said once the US ban is lifted, the company can push an OTA update to its device which will equip them with Google Play services that they currently lack.

Even though Huawei might seem optimistic about the US situation, the Trump administration is leaving no stone unturned to make sure the former is unable to emerge as a leader of 5G equipment supplier.

Not much can be said about the whole scenario, and only time will tell what the future beholds for Huawei.

(via)

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Microsoft believes Huawei is being treated unfairly by Trump

Joel Joseph — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:04:15 +0000

Huawei and the US are not exactly on their best terms despite the recent reprieve from the Trump administration. Currently, the telecommunications giant cannot buy or sell products to US companies for new devices. This is turning out to be incredibly damaging to the world’s second-largest smartphone maker, who relies on a number of American components to make its products. In fact, software solutions from companies like Microsoft and Google do not have viable replacements, making the ban even more damaging for Huawei.

Huawei also has products like the Matebook which runs on US based Microsoft’s Windows OS

But this ban affects US companies like Google as well, who have been Huawei’s long-time partners. In fact, Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, recently said that the US ban on Huawei was both unfair and un-American. He calls for better transparency in Huawei’s case asking for more evidence. He further revealed that whenever Microsoft has approached the Trump administration about the Huawei case, it often gets a vague answer like, “Well, if you knew what we knew, you would agree with us.” Microsoft’s reply would often be, ‘Great, show us what you know so we can decide for ourselves. That’s the way this country works.’

⇒ Editor’s Pick: Huawei considers selling Kirin chips, but only for IoT devices

He further warned that the Trump administrations ban could expand beyond Huawei possibly affecting the competitiveness of US companies on a global scale. He says “You can’t be a global technology leader if you can’t bring your technology to the globe.”

Smith believes the solution to this is working together on a global scale. Implementing standards for privacy and data collection that are accepted on an international level, including China, is the way to move forward.

Currently, Huawei’s upcoming Mate 30 series isn’t licensed to use Google Apps. While Huawei reportedly has a workaround to this issue, it will still affect the sales of the Chinese smartphone maker and spoil its chances of overtaking Samsung as the biggest smartphone maker by 2020.

UP NEXT: Huawei releases Mate 30 series teaser video ahead of its launch on September 19

(Source)

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