Huawei is aiming for a global comeback, focusing on its self-developed Kirin chip to help regain its place in the smartphone market. After making strides in China, the company is now ready to expand internationally.
Huawei made its first big move with the launch of the Mate X6 foldable phone in December 2024, after a two-year break. The foldable phone is the company’s most powerful model yet, but it was only released in a few countries with limited features. Despite this, it caught the attention of tech enthusiasts worldwide.
What’s even more significant is the use of Huawei’s Kirin chip in the Mate X6. The company has been gradually improving its chips, with the Kirin 9020 5G chip now powering the device. This new chip offers a 40% performance boost over previous models, making it a strong choice for gaming and heavy tasks.
The Kirin 9020 chip is equipped with several advanced features, including the industry’s first 3GPP R18 5G-A SoC, 50% more efficient small cores, and 20% more efficient medium cores. Its configuration is: 2 x 2.5GHz + 6 x 2.15GHz + 4 x 1.6GHz.
While Huawei’s rivals are moving to 2nm chips, Huawei is still working with 5nm technology. Despite this, the company claims that its chips offer a top-tier smartphone experience.
Currently, Huawei has only launched the Mate X6 internationally, with the Mate 70 models still only available in China. However, experts expect the company to push for a global market return by the end of 2025.
