China’s largest telecommunications equipment company, Huawei, is reportedly planning to release a new 5G smartphone next month.
On March 23, Chinese media, including Finance World, cited multiple sources to report that Huawei’s next-generation flagship smartphone, the P70 series, is expected to be released early next month. Huawei releases its P series in the first half of the year and its Mate series in the second half, similar to Samsung Electronics, which releases its Galaxy S series in the first half and the Z series in the second half.
Local media, citing a well-known IT tipster known for leaking Apple-related news, reported that the new P70 series will be equipped with the Kirin 9000S chip, which was also used in the Mate 60 series. The Mate 60 series, launched in August last year, used a 5G chip manufactured with Huawei’s own 7-nanometer (nm) process, surprising the world.
The reason behind the surprise is that China was able to produce 5G chips on par with those made by companies like TSMC or Samsung Electronics, narrowing the semiconductor technology gap with developed countries, despite U.S. sanctions.
The Huawei P70 series is expected to be launched in three models: the base model, the P70 Pro, and the P70 Art. The main camera will feature a 1-inch sensor and is expected to include a 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens, among other features.
Industry insiders predict that the latest Huawei 5G smartphone, the P70 series, will also become popular powered by China’s “patriotic consumption.” Despite U.S. economic sanctions, Huawei’s launch of a 5G smartphone saw a significant increase in its market share in China in the last quarter. According to a report by market research firm IDC, while Apple’s market share in China (20%) decreased by 2.1% compared to the same period last year, Huawei’s shipments increased by 36.2%, jumping its market share to 13.9% and entering the ranking.
With strong sales of its latest smartphones, Huawei’s performance last year also showed an upward trend. Huawei’s revenue last year was reported to be around 700 billion yuan, an estimated increase of about 9% compared to 2022.