CHENNAI: Huawei’s latest smartphone Mate 60 Pro has raised concerns that China may have circumvented sanctions by the United States and made rapid progress in advanced chipmaking. The smartphone comes with 12 GB RAM with storage options ranging from 256 GB to 1 TB. It is powered by Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4.0. However, the company didn’t reveal the chipset it has used.
The firm released its latest device recently without any major event or fanfare. It is interesting to note that the device has not been introduced to customers outside the country. It is believed that Mate 60 Pro uses a 7-nanometre processor, a Kirin 9000s chip fabricated by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC).
Both SMIC as well as Huawei were sanctioned by the United States in 2019 over alleged spying links and national security concerns. However, Huawei has made significant progress despite the sanctions have raised eyebrows. The US administration wanted to prevent China from getting 14-nanometre chips, pushing the country at least six years behind in semiconductor fabrication.
For context, Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 is expected to be powered by 3-nanometre processors while India is trying to make 28-nanometre chips or higher. The US bid to restrict China’s technological advancements to curb its headway in artificial intelligence is at the heart of the recent tensions between the two countries.
According to the Chinese state media, Huawei’s new product launch is a sign that the country has broken US sanctions. However, analysts say the chips could have been stockpiled before 2019 or sanctions could have been violated.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro specs
Display: 6.82-inch LTPO OLED (2720 x 1260 pixels)
Battery: 5,000 mAh (88W-wired & 50W-wireless charging)
Operating System: HarmonyOS 4.0
RAM: 12 GB
Storage: 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB
Price: USD 960 (approx)