Huawei is gearing up for a big smartphone launch next Tuesday, unveiling its latest flagship Mate 80 series along with a new foldable device. The tech world is buzzing with speculation that these phones may run on Huawei’s next-generation Kirin 9030 processor, though the company hasn’t confirmed anything yet.
On Monday, Huawei announced that the Mate 80 lineup, which includes the standard Mate 80, Mate 80 Pro, Mate 80 Pro Max and the Mate 80 RS, is now open for pre-orders. However, the company has still kept the pricing and full specs under wraps. The next day, Huawei revealed that both the Mate 80 series and the foldable Mate X7 will officially launch on November 25, sharing a preview online.
Industry Watching Closely for Processor Details
Huawei’s yearly flagship release always draws attention, especially when it comes to the chip powering the devices. Tech blogs and Chinese media have been buzzing about the possibility of the new Kirin 9030 making its debut in these models.
For now, Huawei has not responded to questions about whether the new processor is actually inside the Mate 80 series.
Earlier this year, in August, Huawei confirmed that its Pura 80 lineup is equipped with the Kirin 9020 chip, providing a rare official update on its self-developed smartphone processors. In the past, information about chips in devices like the Mate 60 Pro and Mate 70 series came mostly from teardown reports rather than Huawei itself.
Strengthening Its Position in China’s Premium Market
The upcoming Mate 80 series and Mate X7 foldable phone are expected to boost Huawei’s presence in the high-end smartphone space in China. This comes despite ongoing US technology restrictions that continue to put pressure on the company.
Huawei will still have to compete with strong rivals. Apple and Xiaomi both launched new models in September and saw impressive sales momentum in China.
Apple’s smartphone sales surged 37 per cent in October compared to last year, powered by the new iPhone 17 lineup. According to Counterpoint Research, iPhones represented one out of every four smartphones sold in China last month, marking Apple’s highest local market share since 2022.
Xiaomi also had a standout month. The company ranked second in China’s smartphone market for the first time in over ten years, with its 17 series helping boost sales by 7 per cent.
Huawei’s Sales Dip While Competitors Surge
With no major releases in October, Huawei saw its smartphone sales fall by 19 per cent, based on Counterpoint’s data. The Mate 80 launch could help the company regain momentum heading into the next month.
Even so, analysts say Apple is positioned for a record-breaking December quarter. Counterpoint analyst Ivan Lam noted, “There’s a lot of momentum behind Apple at this point. There is not much tapering to indicate a steep drop off.”
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