Huawei is set to launch its Mate 80 series flagship smartphones, expected to hit the market in the fourth quarter of this year. This new series will be the first to feature the Kirin 9030 processor, boasting a 20% performance boost compared to its predecessor, the Kirin 9020. Despite challenges faced by Huawei and SMIC regarding 5nm process technology, this new processor is anticipated to help narrow the gap with its competitors to some extent.
It is reported that the launch of the Kirin 9030 will bring significant performance improvements to the Mate 80 series. However, there is still controversy over the specific benchmarks, and it remains unclear whether this performance boost is compared to the Kirin 9020 or the even earlier Kirin 9010.
The Mate 80 series will feature four models: the standard version, Pro version, Pro+ version, and the RS Extraordinary Master version. The new series returns to a flat screen design across the board, with the standard version equipped with a 6.75-inch 1.5K flat display, while the Pro series upgrades to a 6.89-inch 1.5K dual-layer OLED flat screen, continuing to support 3D facial recognition.
The Kirin 9030 is expected to continue being manufactured using an equivalent 7nm process, although its core architecture hasn’t been revealed yet. Industry analysts suggest that the previous generation, the Kirin 9020, featured one 2.5GHz Tianzhu big core, three 2.15GHz Tianzhu medium cores, and four 1.6GHz small cores, along with a Maleoon 920 GPU. The industry anticipates that the Kirin 9030 will see enhancements in both its CPU core architecture and clock frequency.
While Huawei and Zhongxin Guojin are still facing challenges in advancing 5nm process technology, the latest Kirin X90 is still based on the older 7nm process. However, the Kirin 9030 could help bridge the technological gap between them. There has been ongoing speculation about whether Huawei and Zhongxin Guojin can successfully develop a 5nm node without specialized EUV equipment, but the technology has yet to achieve mass production to remain competitive against rivals. Poor yield rates have made large-scale production financially and commercially unviable, so it is expected that the Kirin 9030 will continue to use the 7nm process unless significant breakthroughs occur in the coming months.
Nevertheless, achieving a 20% performance boost compared to the previous generation of chips while maintaining the same photolithography technology is still a commendable advancement. Whether this chip is slower than its competitors or not, the Mate 80 series is still expected to be highly sought after in the market. With its brand influence and advantages in the local market, Huawei’s competitiveness in the high-end smartphone market will remain strong.
Analysis indicates that the technological constraints facing Huawei are primarily related to international sanctions and supply chain issues. The company needs to rely on domestic suppliers and technological partners to develop advanced chips, which short-term limits the pace of its technological advancements. However, Huawei continues to invest resources in research and development, aiming to achieve significant progress in its independent technologies.
