Huawei Returns to Challenge Apple’s Dominance in China

Huawei, the Chinese technology giant, has launched its new Pura 70 series of smartphones, a major step in its bid to reclaim market dominance in China and ramp up competition with Apple. 

This move follows Huawei's strategic release of the Mate 60, featuring a sophisticated high-end chip, which came despite facing severe 2019 U.S. sanctions aimed at curtailing its access to advanced chips. These punishing sanctions had previously devastated Huawei’s smartphone sector, nearly erasing its market presence.

The Pura 70 series boasts advanced features comparable to Apple's iPhone 15 range, such as a triple-lens camera setup capable of high-speed photography and long-range zoom. The Ultra model features a massive 6.8-inch display and a distinctive textured back cover.

Operating on HarmonyOS 4.2, Huawei's proprietary system launched post-2019 sanctions, the series shows how adaptative and resilient Huawei has been. Despite not disclosing the specific central processing chip used, tech bloggers speculate that Huawei used its own Kirin 9010 processor, a potential step up from the previous Kirin 9000s used in the Mate 60.

Huawei’s recovery seems on track. In the first six weeks of 2024, its smartphone shipments in China surged by 64%, compared with a 24% drop in iPhone sales in the same period. This resurgence not only underscores Huawei's competitive pricing strategy but also highlights its renewed relevance in competing with Apple, the leading foreign smartphone brand in China.