Huawei's Resurgence: Tipster Hints at Accelerating Shift with Next-Gen Kirin Chipset

In an astonishing comeback, Huawei's anticipated P70 series, powered by an advanced Kirin chipset, has doubled its net profit, signaling a strong recovery and intensifying competition among smartphone titans. This resurgence, amid ongoing US trade restrictions, showcases Huawei's technological advancements and strategic maneuvers to regain its position in the global market.

Huawei Accelerates Kirin Chipset Innovation, Eyes Competitive Edge with 5nm Transition

According to Wccftech, the Kirin 9000S found in the Mate 60 family is the result of Huawei and SMIC's collaboration, and it was mass-produced using the 7nm process. To remain competitive with other brands, Huawei will eventually migrate to the 5nm node for its future Kirin SoC. However, the tipster Digital Chat Station Weibo has yet to share this information on the microblogging social network. Instead, he only says that this unnamed silicon is 'accelerating,' which could imply that Huawei is speeding up the development of its flagship Kirin chip.

An earlier rumor claimed that the upcoming P70 models would use Huawei's Kirin 9010, and given that its name is slightly different from the Kirin 9000S, it could be an altered version of the latter with minor differences in CPU and GPU clock speeds. We previously reported that SMIC will deploy commercial lines to begin mass production of 5nm wafers. However, this will occur later this year, implying that the P70 lineup will include a 7nm chipset, similar to the Mate 60 last year. The Mate 70 series, expected to launch in the fourth quarter, may feature Huawei's first 5nm chipset.

This unnamed SoC is rumored to be as fast as Qualcomm's previous-generation Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, putting it several generations behind competitors. However, it will attract enough attention if it is quicker than the Kirin 9000S. While the tipster did not reveal any valuable information today, we will eventually come across it and relay any relevant information.

Huawei's Financial Triumph Stirs the Tech Arena, Challenges Rivals Amidst US Sanctions

According to a report, smartphone makers are already sweating due to Huawei's mounting comeback, and according to the Chinese company's financial claims, competitors in other product categories may also be feeling the heat. According to the most recent report, the company's net profit more than doubled in 2023, and what is most impressive about the following figures is that Huawei achieved success despite facing constant trade roadblocks imposed by the United States.

With a net profit of 87 billion yuan, Nikkei Asia reports that Huawei has not seen such remarkable growth on its balance sheets in half a decade, except in 2021, when the company spun off its Honor smartphone arm. Despite continuous setbacks due to the United States export controls, Huawei has managed to overcome these obstacles and thrive. According to additional details, the former Chinese giant's consumer electronics revenue increased 17.3 percent last year to 251.5 billion yuan (approximately $38.69 billion), and this momentum does not appear to be slowing.

Even a trillion-dollar behemoth like Apple must resort to business tactics such as discounting many products to get the ball rolling in China. However, those efforts have proven futile, as the company was previously reported to have experienced a double-digit percent shipment drop. According to Runar Bjorhovde, an analyst with Canalys, Huawei's resurgence has forced Apple to increase its investments in China. Tim Cook recently visited the country and mentioned that the region's supply chain is critical to the company.

"Apple is feeling the heat most acutely from Huawei's resurgence. Lately, Apple has responded with increased investments into China, including significant spending on co-marketing campaigns, a new Apple store, and CEO Tim Cook's visit, all initiatives to help it solidify its position in the market."

In 2023, the company's revenue increased 9.6 percent to 704.2 billion yuan ($108.32 billion), up from 642.33 billion yuan ($98.74 billion) in 2022. Furthermore, its R&D spending reached an all-time high of 164.7 billion yuan, accounting for approximately 23% of its annual revenue. With its success last year, Huawei is reportedly raising the bar for 2024, aiming for 100 million smartphone shipments and possibly introducing its first 5nm chipset later this year thanks to a collaboration with its foundry partner SMIC.

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