systems Resistance is futile Huawei has launched a new processor it claims is free of US technology, dubbed the Kirin 950 Pro. The processor includes its own LinxiCore processor cores, GPU, and neural processing unit. Huawei uses the "Tau Scaling" architecture, which arranges components closer together to reduce die size and improve performance without needing advanced chipmaking processes like those used by TSMC and Intel.
Huawei claims the new chip offers 42 percent higher performance than the chip used in its previous three-screen phone, the $2,979 Mate XT2. Analyst firm Counterpoint predicts Huawei will hold 24 percent of the total folding phone market by 2026, though it currently accounts for only 1.6 percent of smartphone sales.
Huawei’s Kirin 950 Pro is positioned for the high-end folding phone market. The company announced it just before analysts expected Apple to debut a folding iPhone, which Counterpoint predicts will capture 25 percent of the market by year-end.
At the launch event, Huawei executives highlighted its HarmonyOS, which runs on 85 million devices, though this remains a fraction of the overall smartphone and smart device market. Huawei argues its new chip could help reduce reliance on imported technology from AMD, Intel, or Nvidia, but it has not yet announced plans to adapt the chip for broader use.
Western chipmakers acknowledge Beijing is steering buyers toward local alternatives, but the success of Chinese chipmakers beyond China remains uncertain. Huawei’s hardware and HarmonyOS ecosystem have not achieved notable success outside China, unlike competitors like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Honor, which have thrived in global markets with Android-based phones tied to Google services.
Source: The Register
