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Huawei Launches Highly Anticipated Pura 70 Smartphone Series Amid Chip Scrutiny
Huawei has launched its highly anticipated Pura 70 smartphone series, known for its sleek design and advanced cameras. The Pura 70 series is expected to feature an advanced China-made chip, similar to the Mate 60 handset. The Pro and Ultra versions of the Pura 70 were quickly sold out within minutes of the sales launch.
Chinese technology giant Huawei has officially started selling its new Pura 70 smartphone series, with crowds of eager customers lining up at Huawei stores in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. The Pura 70 series, known for its sleek design and advanced cameras, is expected to feature an advanced China-made chip, similar to the Mate 60 handset.
Last year, Huawei's Mate 60 series, which also boasted a China-made chip, was hailed as a triumph over U.S. sanctions. The computing power of these chips is considered to be only a few generations behind those used by Western tech giants like Apple and Google. Huawei's acting chairman, Eric Xu, announced that the company plans to release a Mate 70 smartphone later this year.
The Pro and Ultra versions of the Pura 70 were made available for sale on Thursday, while the Plus and base versions will be released on April 22. However, the phones quickly sold out within minutes of the sales launch on Huawei's official online store. One customer, Lucas Zhuang, who already owns the Mate 60, tested the network speed of the Pura 70 and found it to be on par with 5G capabilities.
"We didn't know what chip the Pura 70 has inside. We'll only find out after buying it," Zhuang said. "But we believe... the chip it has will certainly meet people's needs."
Analysts predict that Huawei will ship around 60 million units this year, with the Pura 70 series playing a crucial role in driving sales. Last year, the company sold approximately 32 million smartphones. Ivan Lam, a senior analyst at research firm Counterpoint, expects the supply of the Pura 70 series to be better than that of the Mate 60, with no long-lasting shortages anticipated.
The Pura 70 series offers four variants: the 70, 70 Plus, 70 Pro, and 70 Ultra. The starting price for the series is 5,499 yuan ($760.06).
Huawei's chip-making capabilities have been a subject of scrutiny, particularly due to U.S. export restrictions. The launch of the Mate 60 Pro last year saw a significant increase in Huawei's smartphone sales, while Apple's iPhone sales in China declined. Huawei's Kirin 9000S chip, reportedly manufactured by China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), showcased China's technological resurgence despite U.S. efforts to limit its chip-making capabilities.
Following the launch of the Pura 70, online reviewers have begun tearing down the phone and livestreaming the process on Chinese social media platforms. According to these reviewers, the smartphone features the Kirin 9010 chip, which appears to be a slight upgrade from the Kirin 9000S in the previous Mate 60 Pro.
Despite ongoing efforts by the U.S. to restrict Huawei's access to advanced semiconductors, the company remains determined to showcase its technological prowess. Huawei's acting chairman, Eric Xu, revealed that the upcoming Mate 70 smartphones will run on a "pure" version of its HarmonyOS operating system, aiming to compete with Apple's iOS and Android.
Huawei has launched its highly anticipated Pura 70 smartphone series, known for its sleek design and advanced cameras.
The Pura 70 series is expected to feature an advanced China-made chip, similar to the Mate 60 handset.
The Pro and Ultra versions of the Pura 70 were quickly sold out within minutes of the sales launch.
Source: REUTERS