Huawei Technologies and China’s leading chip manufacturer, SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp), have jointly created an advanced 7-nanometer processor for their latest smartphone, as revealed in a teardown analysis conducted by TechInsights, an analytical firm. The Mate 60 Pro by Huawei is now powered by the newly developed Kirin 9000s chip, manufactured in China by SMIC, according to the report released on Monday.
The Mate 60 Pro was recently introduced by Huawei, with its specifications highlighting its satellite call capabilities but providing no details about the chipset’s performance. Notably, this processor marks the inaugural utilization of SMIC’s cutting-edge 7nm technology, indicating progress in China’s efforts to establish a domestic chip ecosystem, as noted by the research company.
In China, purchasers of the phone have been sharing teardown videos and conducting speed tests on social media, demonstrating that the Mate 60 Pro can achieve download speeds surpassing those of leading 5G smartphones. The phone’s launch generated significant excitement on Chinese social media platforms and received attention from state media, with some noting its timing coincided with a visit by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
Since 2019, the U.S. has imposed restrictions on Huawei’s access to essential chipmaking tools required for manufacturing advanced smartphone models. As a result, the company has only been able to release limited batches of 5G models using previously stockpiled chips. However, research firms indicated in July that Huawei was planning a return to the 5G smartphone market by the end of the year, leveraging its advancements in semiconductor design tools and partnering with SMIC for chip manufacturing.
Dan Hutcheson, an analyst at TechInsights, characterized this development as a message to the U.S., suggesting that it showcases China’s self-sufficiency in chip technology, stating, “Raimondo comes seeking to cool things down, and this chip is [saying] ‘look what we can do, we don’t need you.'”
