Huawei has unveiled its latest tri‑fold smartphone with a powerful new Kirin chip
Innovation in the semiconductor industry demands enormous investment and years of scientific research. The launch of a new flagship chip at a smartphone presentation – something Huawei had not done for six years – shows that the company continues to strengthen its technological capabilities despite external challenges, betting on its own solutions in processors, operating systems and artificial intelligence.
According to its developers, this entirely new chip places logic circuits in two vertical layers within a single package, shortening signal paths, reducing latency, and delivering an overall performance boost of 42 percent. This marks the first time Huawei has introduced a new Kirin chip at a flagship smartphone launch since the global release of the Mate 40 six years ago.
In recent years, the company has continued to innovate and break new ground in technology‑intensive fields, including artificial intelligence, chips, operating systems and smart vehicles, with sustained R&D spending underpinning its long‑term technological capabilities. Huawei’s R&D expenditure in the first half of 2026 rose to a record 121.38 billion yuan (about $18 billion), accounting for over a quarter of its total revenue.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), in the second quarter of this year Huawei’s smartphone shipments grew 19.4% year‑on‑year, pushing its market share to 22.6% and securing the top spot in China.
As reported by CCTV+, analysts note that amid industry‑wide pressure, Huawei stands out as one of the few major vendors showing significant growth, indicating that its long‑term bet on proprietary technologies is beginning to bear fruit.
