Chinese technology giant Huawei unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Mate 60 Pro, in China on September 6, 2023. The phone represents a major milestone for Huawei, as it is the company’s first device to contain a custom-designed 5G chip called the Kirin 9000s.
The launch of the Mate 60 Pro highlights Huawei’s progress in developing critical technology despite ongoing US trade sanctions. Since 2019, the company has been unable to access advanced smartphone components like high-end semiconductors due to its inclusion on the US Entity List, which prohibits American companies from supplying technology to Huawei.
Despite these restrictions, Huawei has continued innovating by building its own advanced chips and software. The Kirin 9000s is the first iteration of Huawei’s custom 5G chip and allows the Mate 60 Pro to connect to 5G networks globally.
However, industry experts note that while marks progress for Huawei, theKirin 9000s still lags behind equivalents like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 made by American company Qualcomm.
The release of the Mate 60 Pro raises concerns for US policymakers in several key areas:
- Reduction in US exports: Development of Huawei’s own chips could lead to decreased exports of semiconductors and other high-tech components from the US to China. This could have implications for American manufacturing.
- Security risks: The US government has previously deemed Huawei a national security risk, fearing the Chinese government could use the company’s products for surveillance or espionage. A Huawei device with proprietary 5G technology could exacerbate these risks.
- Competitive edge in 5G: There are concerns China could gain an upper hand in 5G infrastructure with progress in domestically-produced 5G chips. The US and China are locked in a race to dominate 5G, considered critical future technology.
While the Mate 60 Pro faces an uncertain launch outside of China due to US trade restrictions, its release clearly demonstrates Huawei’s resilience and China’s ambitions in the global tech sphere. American policymakers are likely monitoring the smartphone’s capabilities closely.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro Specifications:
- Released: August 29, 2023
- Dimensions: 163.7 x 79 x 8.1 mm; Weight: 225g
- Display: 6.82″ LTPO OLED, Resolution 1212×2616 pixels
- Platform: HarmonyOS 4.0, Kirin 9000S (5 nm) chipset
- Memory: Up to 1TB internal storage with 12GB RAM; NM card slot
- Main Camera: Triple lens – 50 MP (wide), 48 MP (periscope telephoto), 12 MP (ultrawide)
- Selfie Camera: 13 MP (ultrawide) with TOF 3D
- Battery: Li-Po 5000 mAh; 88W wired charging
- Other Features: Face ID, fingerprint sensor, IP68 dust/water resistance, and more.
- Price: About 890 EUR
