How Huawei Products Shape the Future of Technology
Huawei is often in the news, whether for releasing new smartphone models with advanced camera capabilities or for being banned from the US by Donald Trump. The company also holds leadership positions in many industrial standards organizations, allowing it to shape the future of technology.
Brittney Jones is one of a small group of Americans who prefers a Huawei phone. She says the phones are dependable and have great cameras.
1. Smart Phones
Founded in 1987, Huawei is today one of the world’s biggest phone makers and second-largest smartphone sellers worldwide, trailing only Samsung. It also makes computer chips and telecommunications equipment like switches, routers, fiber-optic cables and undersea networks. It has a major presence in the cloud computing industry and is a big player in artificial intelligence.
In the consumer market, Huawei phones are stylish and powerful with great cameras. They’re huawei-products not typically sold in the US, however, because of a trade ban placed on the company by the Trump administration. The ban means that Huawei smartphones can’t run Google software updates and don’t include popular Google apps in the Google Play Store.
The ban was put in place because the US government thinks that Huawei technology could be used to spy on Americans or other countries, particularly those participating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. But the company denies any such accusations and maintains that its research and development budget is among the world’s largest. In fact, it exceeds the combined R&D spending of Apple, Amazon and Alphabet (Google’s parent company). The US government isn’t the only one with doubts about the company: Major chipmakers such as Intel, Xilinx and Qualcomm have cut their ties with Huawei. But despite these doubts, Huawei’s products have proven to be some of the best on the market.
2. Smart Wearables
Huawei (pronounced hu-wah-way) is the world leader in equipment for wireless telecommunications networks and the second largest smartphone maker. It also makes switches, routers and the fiber-optic and undersea cables that make up the worldwide Internet, as well as AI technology, semiconductors and cloud computing.
The United States government has slapped Huawei with bans on its equipment, accusing the company of posing a national security threat. Some experts believe that the Chinese government could use the devices to spy on Americans.
In the wake of these concerns, many US companies have stopped doing business with Huawei, including chip makers like Intel and Broadcom. The US Commerce Department has added the company to its “entity list” and restricted its access to American goods, and Google has dropped Huawei phones from its Android operating system.
Despite these setbacks, Huawei continues to grow internationally. Its mobile phone sales have exceeded its global competitors, and it has signed contracts with countries to build 5G wireless networks. It also has a robust managed services division that provides network infrastructure and other critical components for carriers worldwide.
But it may not be long before Huawei’s international growth slows down. The company is running out of crucial U.S. semiconductors, which it relies on for about one-third of its global supply chain. And the United States has been pressing its allies to stop using its devices as well.
3. Smart Tablets
Huawei (pronounced hwa-way) is one of the world’s biggest smartphone and tablet makers, second only to Samsung, and also a major player in 5G network infrastructure equipment. Its premium phones draw comparisons to Samsung’s flagship models, and the company is known for its excellent cameras.
The company has diversified into other areas, including wearables, laptops and tablets. In 2019, it debuted its own operating system, HarmonyOS, to rival Android and iOS. Huawei has also invested in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and semiconductors.
In recent years, though, the US government has restricted federal agencies from buying Huawei equipment, and has pressed allies not to use its products, too. It even threatened to cut off intelligence sharing with countries that use the company’s equipment in their networks.
Some experts and US officials say that the company is being forced to work with Chinese intelligence-gathering authorities, and that this could nsn-boot-fiber-optic-jumper-cable-assembly compromise global security. The company has vehemently denied these allegations. Some analysts also point to vague Chinese laws that can be used to force technology companies, such as Huawei, to cooperate with the country’s intelligence-gathering authorities. These concerns have sparked additional U.S. concerns over the popular TikTok app, which is made by a Huawei subsidiary. The app has prompted concerns that the platform will collect user data, and has led some U.S. lawmakers to introduce legislation to regulate it.
4. Smart TVs
Huawei is also a global leader in making the equipment that makes up wireless telecommunications networks. It is the second largest seller of smartphones in the world (behind Samsung) and it makes the switches, routers and fiber-optic cables that make up much of the worldwide internet. It’s even involved in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and semiconductors. It’s sort of like if you rolled Apple, AT&T, Amazon and Google all into one giant technology company.
While the brand may not be well-known in the United States, Huawei phones are popular in Europe and Asia. And the company’s smart TVs are used in many homes around the world. They come with built-in voice assistants, like the Alexa feature found in most modern iPhones, and are often paired with streaming services. You can also use them to control smart home devices like connected lights, thermostats and doorbells. Most smart TVs allow you to play casual games, as well.
But Huawei’s rise hasn’t been without controversy. The Trump administration has restricted some Department of Defense networks from using its equipment, and major U.S. tech firms, including Google, Intel and Qualcomm, have cut ties with the company. Critics worry that Huawei’s devices could be spying on Americans, though the company denies it. That concern is especially valid given its connection to the Chinese government. Its founder, Ren Zhengfei, was a technologist for the Chinese military before founding Huawei in 1987.