Let's dive into the intriguing world of the Huawei Mate 60 Pro launch! At the end of August, Huawei stunned us all with the surprising announcement of its latest flagship, the Mate 60 Pro. What makes it even more mysterious is that no hints about its launch had leaked, as the company had no immediate plans to take it beyond China. Additionally, some puzzling elements were discovered, such as the Kirin 9000S processor and unauthorized components, like SK Hynix memory.
Now, the controversy has reached the United States, and this launch has generated considerable buzz.
Let's look at all the rumors and news that have come out regarding this topic.
What concerns has the United States expressed regarding the announcement of the Mate 60 Pro?
The United States' distrust of Chinese technology is notorious. When Huawei announced the Mate 60 Pro and, days later, the Mate X5, it mentioned absolutely nothing about the processor. Those who had a chance to get a first look at the phone confirmed it was equipped with a Kirin 9000s, but the origin of this chipset remained a mystery.
Was it a new SoC, or just a rebadged version of the Kirin 9000? It turns out it's actually a combination of both: the name is familiar, but it's a new SoC manufactured by Chinese company Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, or SMIC.
This has caused quite a stir in the United States, mainly because this new SoC supports 5G (something the United States has been researching for a long time) and, above all, because it has been built using 7-nanometer technology.
When the United States announced the ban on Huawei, which resulted in a significant blow to one of China's leading technology companies, it significantly weakened the American strategy.
Until now, it was thought that China lacked access to the most advanced manufacturing processes in the semiconductor industry. It was thought that Chinese companies could only produce chips with a maximum 14-nanometer technology.
However, somehow, HiSilicon's Kirin 9000S is built using 7-nanometer technology. This was discovered by Canadian lab TechInsights when analyzing the SoC, and it's cause for concern in the United States.
Somehow, China has managed to significantly accelerate the semiconductor manufacturing process and is not only producing 7-nanometer circuits, but is also exploring 5-nanometer technologies.
Furthermore, the controversy doesn't stop there, as SK Hynix memory has been found inside the device. This seems impossible unless Huawei has stocks of NAND and RAM that date back to before fall 2020.
Official statements from the United States
Now, let's turn to the statements made by Gina Raimondo, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. During a hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives, Raimondo stated that there is "no evidence that the Chinese manufacturer Huawei can produce smartphones with advanced chips in large quantities."
According to her and the US government, the company would not be able to mass-produce these chips using 7-nanometer technology. They may believe that the Kirin 9000S is simply a demonstration and that other models from the company use SoCs with less advanced technology, but what is clear is that there is serious concern about this.
In fact, Raimondo has confirmed that they are trying to find out more about the chip's composition, as they believe it could violate trade restrictions imposed three years ago, and she also suggests that it could have been manufactured using American technology.
White House Homeland Security Adviser Jake Sullivan echoed the secretary's remarks and said the administration is working to gather more information on the matter.
We'll be watching closely to see how things develop, but what's clear is that, regardless of whether Huawei is capable of producing 7-nanometer chips on a large scale, it has taken the United States by surprise.
How has China responded to the United States?
China appears to be taking steps to restrict iPhone use in certain companies and entities under its control, citing security concerns in the wake of these events. And while China currently has no plans to impose restrictions on ordinary users, it has taken steps to ban iPhone use in some companies and entities controlled by the Chinese government.
What began as an unexpected launch could be turning into a battle between two nations, the United States and China.