In the first quarter of 2024, China’s smartphone market registered growth, ticking up by 1.5% compared to last year. This was the second quarter in a row where things looked up for the Chinese market, sparking some optimism in the industry.
Huawei was the standout brand in this quarter, registering an impressive growth of nearly 70%. Thanks to their new 5G Mate 60 series, it grabbed a big chunk of the high-end market. While Huawei was climbing the ranks, HONOR wasn’t far behind. It managed 11.5% growth, thanks to their popular X50 and Play 40 models.
On the other hand, Apple had a rough start to the year. Their sales dropped by over 19% in China. A couple of things hit them hard: a government ban on Apple devices for employees and Huawei’s strong comeback. Despite some big discounts and promotions, Apple struggled to keep up.
Looking ahead, there’s a possibility that Apple might bounce back in the next quarter. They’re rolling out new color options and pushing sales hard. Everyone’s waiting for May 2, when Apple will share their earnings report. It’s going to be a key moment for them as they try to regain their footing in China’s competitive market.
So, the big question now is, can Apple turn things around with their new strategies?
Read more in our story here.
US Is Nervous About China’s Growing Interest in RISC-V Chips
The US Department of Commerce is keeping a close eye on China’s growing interest in RISC-V chip technology, a rising star in the chip-making world. RISC-V is a free, open-source alternative to more controlled technologies like those from Arm Holdings, and it’s catching on everywhere, from smartphones to sophisticated AI chips.
China’s big tech players, like Alibaba, are really getting into RISC-V. This move has turned up the heat in the tech rivalry between the US and China, pushing 18 US lawmakers to press the Biden administration to make sure China doesn’t get the upper hand in this area.
The Commerce Department is on it, checking out the risks and figuring out the best steps to take. They want to be careful, though. They don’t want to mess up chances for US companies to work with others around the world on RISC-V projects. They’ve learned from past snags, like when US restrictions on sharing 5G tech with China made it tough for US firms in global tech groups, which could have knocked the US off its tech throne.
You can read more in our story here.
⚠️ DEAL ALERT: OnePlus Pad Go finally arrives in Europe & UK with a 10% discount
Will BlueImage Force Vivo To End Ties With Zeiss?
Vivo has just announced its BlueImage brand, shaking up the smartphone photography game with its own imaging technology. This move has sparked curiosity about whether this signals the end of their collaboration with Zeiss, the optics giant.
Vivo’s BlueImage is all about taking smartphone photography up a notch. The company has pumped resources into research and development to create a system that enhances the photos you snap on your phone. They’ve even developed their own imaging chips, now in their third generation, to power this tech.
But fans of Vivo’s partnership with Zeiss can breathe easy. Vivo has made it clear that their work with Zeiss isn’t going anywhere. They’ve committed to a new joint R&D agreement with Zeiss, reinforcing their collaboration. An executive from Vivo even teased this on social media, showing off the BlueImage and Zeiss logos together, along with a sneak peek at an upcoming device.
More details are here.
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Huawei is planning to expand globally with HarmonyOS amidst the US sanctions
Last year, Huawei unveiled the “HarmonyOS NEXT” operating system exclusively for developers. This operating system does not support Android apps and could be the future of Huawei smartphones and other connected smart devices.
A previous report from Nikki Asia claimed that Huawei’s HarmonyOS NEXT (unveiled in January as the newest version of its proprietary operating system) could rival iOS and Android going forward.
The latest news is that Huawei is aiming to roll out the HarmonyOS ecosystem globally.
Xiaomi Robot Vacuum Cleaner S10, Handheld Garment Steamer launched in India
Xiaomi announced a couple of new products, such as the Redmi Pad SE, the Redmi Buds 5A, the Robot Vacuum Cleaner S10, and the Handheld Garment Steamer, in India through the 2024 Smarter Living launch event.
The Xiaomi Robot Vacuum Cleaner S10 and Handheld Garment Steamer will be available for pre-booking starting April 29 in India via Mi.com, Flipkart, and Amazon. On April 29, Mi.com will host the early access sale of these devices.
More details are here.
iQOO Z9 Turbo Debuts In China With Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, 16GB RAM, And More
The iQOO Z9 Turbo is the top-end model in the Z9 series smartphones that was announced yesterday in China. It is a new addition to the Z9 series. The latest offering packs mid-range flagship specifications. The Z9 Turbo is also quite different compared to its siblings.
More details here!
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra Retractable Camera Explained
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra (unboxing & hands-on) boasts a revolutionary feature: a retractable main camera. This isn’t the first phone to feature a retractable lens, though.
The first commercial phone that came with this feature was the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro. Well, this innovative design offers a unique solution to the age-old challenge of balancing large sensor sizes with a sleek phone profile.
We try to explain the fascinating mechanism of this camera.
Apple expands supplier network in China despite US-China tensions
Apple has added 8 new suppliers from mainland China while removing 4, highlighting the country’s significance in its supply chain. With 157 contractors operating in mainland China, representing over a third of its disclosed suppliers, Apple reaffirms its reliance on the region for manufacturing and assembly.
More details here.
