Search

Huawei Eyes Smartphone Supremacy This Year After Record 2018 Sales

Advertisement
Huawei Eyes Smartphone Supremacy This Year After Record 2018 Sales

China's Huawei Technologies Co on Thursday said it could become the world's biggest-selling smartphone vendor this year even without the US market and as global scrutiny of the firm intensifies.

The bullish forecast contrasts with those of market-leader Samsung and other rivals such as Apple, both of which have flagged weakening sales in China - the largest smartphone market where demand has long been slowing, and where economic growth is at its lowest pace in nearly three decades.

It comes as the United States and its allies restrict market access for Huawei, alleging its products could be used by China for espionage. Huawei has said the allegation is unfounded.

Meanwhile, the firm's chief financial officer - the founder's daughter - has been arrested in Canada in relation to US sanctions violations. Huawei has denied wrongdoing.

"Our customers have trust and confidence in us," Richard Yu, Huawei's consumer division chief, said at a new-product news conference in Beijing. "It's only politics guys which are trying to put pressure on us."

The maker of telecommunications equipment, spanning aerials to handsets, reported a 50 percent jump in consumer business revenue last year to in excess of $52 billion (roughly Rs. 3,70,000 crores). It said it aimed to keep the momentum with the launch next month of a foldable smartphone powered by its new fifth-generation (5G) chipset.

The jump meant the consumer business accounted for 48 percent of total revenue, contributing more than Huawei's business for telecoms network providers for the first time.

"Even without the US market we will be number one in the world," Yu said, referring to Huawei's smartphone division, which shipped 208 million handsets last year. "I believe at the earliest this year, and next year at the latest."

Worldwide smartphone shipments likely fell 3 percent last year, returning to low single-digit growth this year and through 2022, when 5G mobile network technology is likely to give the industry a boost, showed forecasts from consultancy IDC.

Yu said Huawei will launch the foldable phone at the Mobile World Congress next month with sales beginning in April at the earliest. He said its Balong 5000 chipset, a rival to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X50, is the world's most powerful 5G modem and can be used in vehicles. The modem is also the first to support countries' differing 5G architecture, Huawei said.

Huawei uses its own chipsets in its high-end phones and servers but said it does not intend to become a standalone chip vendor to rival the likes of Qualcomm and Intel Corp.

Huawei also introduced a 5G base station chipset, dubbed Tiangang. Carrier business chief Ryan Ding said Huawei has won 30 5G contracts, including 18 in Europe, nine in the Middle East and three in the Asia-Pacific region.

© Thomson Reuters 2019

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: Richard Yu, Huawei
 
Show Full Article
Please wait...
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Live Streaming for Free: Watch PAK vs NZ Online
  2. iPhone SE 4 or iPhone 16E Launch Today: Everything We Know So Far
  3. Marvel Rivals Developer NetEase Hit With Layoffs Over 'Organisational Reasons'
  4. OnePlus Watch 3 With 1.5-inch LTPO Screen, Google's Wear OS 5 Launched
  5. Oppo, OnePlus Might Be Testing a Massive 8,000mAh Smartphone Battery
  6. NASA Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Dismiss 'Stranded' Claims
  7. Google Pixel 10 Series Model Numbers Leaked Via Alleged GSMA Listing
  8. Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati Launches AI Startup
  9. Here's Why the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Might Sport an Aluminium Frame
  10. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review
  1. Samsung Galaxy A06 5G With MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC Launched in India: Price, Specifications
  2. OnePlus 13 Partners Instagram to Add Night Mode to In-App Camera
  3. Tesla to Reportedly Begin Selling Imported EVs in India by April, Showroom Locations Finalised
  4. George Lopez’s Last Stand-Up Special Muy Católico Premieres on Prime Video
  5. Dope Thief OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch Brian Tyree Henry Starrer Crime Series
  6. The Wasp OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch Naomie Harris, Natalie Dormer’s Thriller Online?
  7. The Wild Robot Now Streaming in India on JioHotstar: Everything You Need to Know
  8. Marvel Rivals Development Team, Including Game Director, Laid Off Despite Game's Successful Launch
  9. Google Reportedly Teases New Features to Gemini Advanced Users, Removes Older Gemini 1.5 Models
  10. iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro Models Could Feature Aluminium Frame Unlike iPhone 17 Air: Report
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »