What it tells me is the export controls are working because that chip is not nearly as good, […] it’s years behind what we have in the United States. We have the most sophisticated semiconductors in the world. China doesn’t.
As my colleague Alan puts it: “Huawei continues to innovate with one arm tied behind its back and it makes you wonder what it could achieve without the sanctions imposed against it by the US”. That’s because Huawei’s recently released Pura 70 line can apparently send photos by satellite when no cellular connectivity is available.
There’s no other phone that can currently do that – including the iPhone.
The story so far
Huawei, placed on a trade restriction list since 2019, surprised both the industry and the US government last August by unveiling a new phone equipped with a sophisticated chip. The Huawei Mate 60 Pro was viewed as a symbol of China’s technological advancement, despite ongoing efforts by Washington to hinder its ability to manufacture advanced semiconductor technology (via Reuters).
The US has been engaged in a multi-year campaign to prevent Beijing from acquiring advanced semiconductor chips and the necessary manufacturing tools, citing concerns about their potential use in enhancing China’s military capabilities.
Despite this, Huawei’s suppliers, including Intel, have been granted licenses worth billions of dollars to continue selling to the company. Huawei’s recent unveiling of its first AI-enabled laptop, powered by an Intel chip, has sparked outrage among many US officials.
When questioned about her stance on corporate accountability, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo was resolute. “I hold businesses accountable just like anyone else,” she underscored on “60 Minutes”.
“When I tell them they can’t sell their semiconductors to China, they may not like it, but that’s what I do,” she emphasized.
