Huawei Mate 60 Series: A Step Towards Decoupling?

Huawei discreetly launched its latest flagship smartphone, the Mate 60 series, in China this past Tuesday. This low-key unveiling has generated significant interest and discussion online.

?? What's the talk about?

Despite minimal promotion, the flagship model has garnered attention for a compelling reason: User tests have revealed remarkable download speeds exceeding 500Mbps, a fivefold increase compared to 4G-connected devices.

The intriguing aspect here is the source of this technology. In the wake of the 2019 US sanctions that prohibited Huawei from developing 5G chips, the origins of this achievement remain unclear. Is it a result of China's advanced chip manufacturing capabilities or strategic stockpiling?

?? Could satellite technology be the next big thing for smartphones?

The Mate 60 series is the first smartphone to offer satellite calling at an additional cost of RMB 100-200 per month. In contrast, recent developments have been focused on satellite messaging. Apple's iPhone 14 series incorporated Globalstar-powered satellite messaging primarily for emergency use, but this could change with the upcoming iPhone 15 release. Besides, earlier this year, Qualcomm announced a technology partnership with Iridium to bring satellite-based messaging to Android phones.

?? What broader implications does this hold?

China, the largest consumer of chips, is taking steps towards self-sufficiency. Despite heavy reliance on imports, such developments align with policies like the "Made in China 2025," aimed at advancing the industry's manufacturing capabilities. The emergence of satellite and 5G connectivity could grow the country’s Internet penetration rate, which despite being the highest worldwide, remains below its East Asian counterparts like Japan and South Korea.

While Huawei is still playing catch-up with its rivals, the Mate 60 series represents a promising step in the right direction. Only time will reveal whether their measured approach will pay off.