Latest news with #HarmonyOS
WIRED
3 days ago
- Automotive
- WIRED
Some Cities in China Are Advertising Exclusive Subsidies for Huawei-Powered Cars
Jul 17, 2025 5:04 PM WIRED identified 10 local governments in China that are offering discounts to consumers who choose cars running Huawei software. It's not always clear who is footing the bill. Maextro S800 luxury sedans make an appearance at the Maextro Super Factory on June 18, 2025, in Hefei, Anhui Province of China. Photograph:In some parts of China, local governments are offering cash subsidies to people who buy electric or plug-in hybrid cars powered by Huawei software. Experts say the deals are fairly unusual. Since May, at least ten Chinese provincial and municipal governments have announced consumer subsidies ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 RMB (about $280 to $700) per car, according to social media posts collected by WIRED. The exact amount and conditions vary, but they all have one thing in common: The rebates can only be used to purchase a vehicle that runs Huawei's HarmonyOS operating system and its autonomous driving system. The Chinese government has subsidized electric vehicles since 2009, helping drive the country's rapid adoption of them over the past decade. But those incentives, both on the national and local level, were phased out two years ago as the government urged auto companies to reach profitability on their own. But even during the heyday of EV discounts, experts say they were never explicitly restricted to a single company. It's not uncommon for local governments to support homegrown auto companies by introducing favorable policies or procuring EVs for their taxi fleets, says Tu Le, the founder of Sino Auto Insights, a consultancy that specializes in the Chinese automotive market. 'But are they writing a check to a consumer to subsidize the price of a vehicle? I don't think they're doing that,' Tu says. Regional governments are currently cash-strapped amid a cooling economy in China, and Beijing has also restrained them from providing too much assistance to private companies, which makes the recent Huawei subsidies stand out even more. Tu cautions that the local government initiatives may not necessarily be tied to Huawei directly. The tech giant works with a wide range of Chinese OEM companies based in different provinces, and it's not unusual for their downstream suppliers to have strong relationships with local officials, who often want to ensure their businesses succeed. Most of the announcements stop short of saying who's actually footing the bill, which has led to confusion among both carbuyers and industry observers. But some posts made it clear that the government is not paying for it: An announcement by the Yunnan Provincial Department of Commerce on July 11, for example, said that the $420 subsidy was 'covered by the local Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance–affiliated sales companies.' Similar language has been posted by authorities in Guangzhou and Hulunbuir, a city in the northern province of Inner Mongolia. It remains unclear which company or organization is actually funding the discounts in every case. It could be Huawei, as all the announcements clearly benefit it, or one of the auto-manufacturers that have partnered with it and uses Huawei's smart driving technologies. Since Huawei was heavily sanctioned by the United States during the first Trump administration, it has made a point of stressing that it operates as a private company separate from the Chinese government. But the latest auto subsidies are arguably now muddling the water. While some government announcements suggest the subsidies may actually be coming out of Huawei's own pocket or that of its partners, it still appears they are getting preferential treatment from local governments while its competitors aren't. WIRED contacted Huawei to ask about its potential role in the subsidies. Huawei did not comment in time for publication. One of the earliest subsidies appeared online in March, when the Commerce Bureau of Shenzhen Longgang District—the district where Huawei's headquarters are located—posted that local car buyers can get up to 4,000 RMB (about $560) for buying a car that runs on Huawei's driver-assistance system. The subsidies will be given out on a first-come first-served basis until the total budget of 14,000,000 RMB is exhausted, meaning over 3,500 Shenzhen residents could have benefited from it. Starting in May, many announcements in similar language were subsequently posted by the commerce bureaus in other provinces and municipalities. In China, these commerce bureaus function as consumer regulators, and are in charge of distributing government subsidies, including a massive program launched last year to encourage trading-in old electronics and cars to help stimulate the economy. The fact that the Huawei subsidies are being announced through the commerce bureaus make them almost indistinguishable from the official government welfare program. In some cases, like in Henan and Anhui provinces, the subsidies were instead published by provincial auto industry associations. While these are technically private trade groups, the announcements were printed on official-looking letterheads and with red stamps, giving them a sense of authority. After American trade restrictions devastated Huawei's global smartphone business and essentially forced it to exit markets outside of China, the tech giant has been trying to reinvent itself. Along with creating the Harmony operating system for smartphones, smart appliances, and cars, it's also increasingly working on large language models and autonomous driving technologies amid the AI boom. The company has famously vowed to never make a car itself—unlike its smartphone peer and competitor Xiaomi—but it has partnered with a slew of Chinese auto companies. Huawei's autonomous driving technology is particularly appealing to Chinese manufacturers that don't have the capacity to develop self-driving on their own. It's 'technically brand-agnostic, which is attractive for the brands that are struggling to keep up with progress in the intelligent driving space,' says Tu. 'Effectively, if you're desperate and you can't keep up, you should partner with Huawei in the China market.' The subsidies have stirred up controversy in China, as they seem to give certain brands a leg up in what has become a brutally competitive EV landscape. As the domestic market saturates, Chinese EV brands have been forced to slash prices and give consumers free tech upgrades or interest-free financing options to stay afloat. Earlier this year, Beijing signaled that car makers should avoid using extreme pricing tactics. 'The central government ultimately wants to see stable, profitable companies and not a super fragmented industry where nobody's making any money,' says Ilaria Mazzocco, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who has closely studied China's industrial policy for EVs. 'For consumers, this is fantastic right now, but it just isn't sustainable in the long term.' Pressure from the central government to avoid fueling pricing wars may be driving companies to come up with more creative ways to make their cars more affordable. At the same time, Mazzocco says, local governments may view Huawei's self-driving technology favorably because it fits with another policy goal to develop high-tech manufacturing and self-sufficient AI technologies in China. Before this year, WIRED could only identify one other similar Huawei car subsidy from 2022. That year, Shenzhen, Huawei's hometown, was giving out $1400 per car to people who bought vehicles equipped with HarmonyOS. Huawei didn't answer questions from WIRED about whether the company was paying for those either.
GSM Arena
4 days ago
- GSM Arena
Wiko Enjoy 80 Pro debuts with SD 4 Gen 2 and 6,100 mAh battery
French-based smartphone maker Wiko announced its latest smartphone in China with the Enjoy 80 Pro. The brand holds a licensing deal with Huawei, which explains the familiar looks and the fact that this device boots HarmonyOS. Enjoy 80 Pro is built around a 6.7-inch OLED display (FHD+ 120Hz), which maxes out at 1300 nits peak brightness. The panel features an 8MP front-facing camera and Kunlun Glass protection. Enjoy 80 Pro gets a 6.7'' OLED (FHD+120Hz) and Kunlun Glass The phone is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip alongside 8/12GB RAM and 256/512GB storage. The back houses a 50MP main camera alongside an unspecified auxiliary lens. The software side is covered by HarmonyOS, while the battery comes in at 6,100mAh and supports 40W wired charging. Wiko Enjoy 80 Pro comes in black, white and blue colors. The 8/256GB trim starts at CNY 1,599 ($222), while the 12/512GB model costs CNY 1,999 ($279). Wiko Enjoy 80 Pro The device is already listed for pre-order from with deliveries scheduled for July 18.
Broadcast Pro
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Broadcast Pro
Huawei expands in-car content offerings with Anghami and Nabd partnerships
Anghami, the MENA region's music streaming platform with over 57m tracks, brings its deep understanding of local musical tastes to the partnership. Through this agreement, Anghami's vast content library will be made available on HMS for Car, enabling car manufacturers to offer regionally relevant music experiences to their customers. This marks the latest step in Anghami's long-standing collaboration with Huawei, which began in 2020 with the integration of Huawei Mobile Services and promotion through HUAWEI AppGallery across the Middle East and Africa. Since then, Anghami has also developed applications for Huawei smartwatches, including a HarmonyOS app in 2021 and an optimised version for the HUAWEI WATCH 5 in 2025. Now, with its inclusion in the HMS for Car ecosystem, Anghami will support the development of an in-car music environment tailored to local preferences. Meanwhile, Nabd, the Arabic news platform with over 32m users worldwide, will also join the HMS for Car content lineup. Known for its personalised Arabic content, Nabd delivers a diverse range of services including breaking news, live football scores, market data, weather updates, video feeds, live TV, e-commerce listings and even interactive games. Its integration with HMS for Car ensures drivers and passengers will have access to timely, localised news and infotainment services directly from their vehicle dashboards. Since 2021, Nabd has worked closely with Huawei to integrate HMS media kits and expand its regional reach via the AppGallery. These partnerships mark a significant expansion of Huawei's in-car content ecosystem, bringing together two of the Middle East's most prominent platforms in the key categories of music and news. Beyond collaborations, Huawei also showcased its latest technological innovation at the conference, HMS for Car MAAN 4.0. This upgrade enables web-based apps to operate with the same efficiency as native apps in connected vehicles. Coupled with Huawei's new App Box development tool, it allows partners such as Anghami and Nabd to deliver seamless and high-quality in-car experiences. Looking forward, Huawei plans to further expand its HMS for Car ecosystem by forging new alliances with regional and global content providers. The goal is to deliver increasingly personalised and immersive experiences that redefine the future of connected driving.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Huawei's 7nm Chip Stalls Expose China's AI Weakness--While Rivals Race Ahead
Huawei's latest foldable MateBook looks sleekbut under the hood, it's running on old tech. The chip inside? A 7nm processor made by SMIC, China's top foundry. Same tech Huawei used back in 2023 for its Mate 60 Pro. According to TechInsights, there's been no real breakthrough since. That puts Huawei three generations behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which is gearing up to mass-produce 2nm chips later this year. The message: despite China's push for self-reliance, catching up in semiconductors is proving harder than expected. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Signs with NVDA. Export controls appear to be doing exactly what they were designed to doslow China down. With ASML still blocked from selling EUV lithography machines to Chinese firms, SMIC hasn't yet cracked scalable 5nm production, which is the entry ticket to high-end AI, cloud, and mobile chips. Washington's restrictions on Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) chips have also kept Huawei boxed out of the training game for top-tier AI models. Even so, Huawei has leaned into homegrown solutions, running its new devices on HarmonyOS and stacking chips to try and bridge the performance gap. But scale is the real testand here's where the ceiling hits. U.S. officials said Huawei could be capped at just 200,000 units of its Ascend AI chip in 2025, a far cry from global AI leaders. Still, founder Ren Zhengfei isn't backing down. In a recent interview, he brushed off the impact of sanctions and pointed to workarounds like chip stacking. Investors watching China's tech race will be asking the obvious question: is that enough to stay in the gameor just enough to survive? This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
UAE Moments
04-07-2025
- Health
- UAE Moments
Huawei Eyes Non-invasive Glucose Monitoring
Huawei is accelerating its ambitions in the UAE and Middle East wearables market, aiming to eliminate the traditional delay between launching cutting-edge features in China and bringing them to international consumers. The Chinese tech giant has outlined plans to roll out its advanced TruSense health innovations, previously available only in China, to the UAE and other key markets through synchronised global launches. This strategy marks a significant shift for Huawei, responding to the growing demand in the region for health-focused wearable technology that delivers reliable, real-time data for proactive health management. During a recent media briefing, Huawei confirmed that it is working closely with local medical institutions across the Middle East to customise its wearable technology, ensuring compatibility with regional medical practices and customer expectations. HarmonyOS Enables a Seamless Experience Central to Huawei's wearables success is its proprietary HarmonyOS, an operating system developed as an alternative to Android to create a seamless, self-sufficient ecosystem across devices. HarmonyOS powers Huawei's wearable devices, enabling efficient hardware-software integration, long battery life, and smooth performance. One Huawei employee shared that their wearable device required charging only once every ten days, a major advantage for users seeking continuous health monitoring without the inconvenience of frequent charging. Health Labs Driving Global Innovation Huawei's commitment to wearables is backed by its state-of-the-art Health Labs in China and Finland, which specialise in researching exercise physiology, sports science, and biomechanics to advance health monitoring technologies. The labs' work has led to the development of the TruSense System, known for its industry-leading accuracy, comprehensive data capture, and rapid processing speeds. Huawei's TruSense system currently offers medical-grade precision, achieving over 98% accuracy in dynamic heart rate monitoring and less than 2% deviation in blood oxygen measurements. It also supports 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring via wrist-based devices such as the Huawei WATCH D2 series, making advanced health tracking accessible for everyday users. One-Button Health Checks A standout feature of Huawei's wearables is the ' one-button health check ' that delivers over ten vital health indicators in just 60 seconds, allowing users to monitor their well-being efficiently. This feature is particularly valuable for individuals seeking a comprehensive overview of their health without the need for multiple devices or visits to healthcare facilities. Noninvasive Glucose Monitoring: A Vision for the Future Among the most ambitious projects under Huawei's health technology umbrella is the development of noninvasive glucose monitoring. The goal is to provide accurate blood glucose readings without the need for finger-prick blood samples, significantly improving the user experience for those managing diabetes or monitoring blood sugar levels for preventive health measures. A Huawei spokesperson explained, 'With continuous and noninvasive detection methods, we can raise early awareness of potential health risks for users. Our long-term goal is to match the accuracy of invasive testing methods while providing a more comfortable and seamless experience for users.' This vision aligns with Huawei's broader strategy of expanding the functionality of its wearables, making them an integral part of users' daily lives and health management routines. Regional Customisation for the Middle East Huawei's plans for the Middle East extend beyond technological innovation; they include a focus on regional customisation to ensure products meet local needs. This involves collaborating with medical institutions across the UAE and other countries to validate the effectiveness of sensors for glucose testing, ovarian health monitoring, and cardiovascular assessments in local populations. The company also considers factors such as skin tone variations in sensor calibration and user interface design to enhance accuracy and inclusivity across diverse user groups. The Future of Wearables in the Middle East Huawei views the wearables segment as a growth driver for its consumer business in the Middle East, a region where health and wellness are increasingly prioritised by tech-savvy consumers. With 180 million wearable devices shipped globally and 540 million users served, Huawei's optimism is grounded in a proven track record of innovation and adoption. 'We believe the wearables market is just getting started,' the spokesperson noted. 'We see significant potential for growth in the Middle East, driven by a young, health-conscious population eager to adopt new technologies that can enhance their lifestyles.' While Huawei continues to innovate in other wearable categories such as smart glasses and health-monitoring headphones, the smartwatch remains the cornerstone of its health technology strategy. The company's ongoing efforts in enhancing the functionality and comfort of its wearables signal a future where continuous health monitoring becomes a standard part of everyday life. A New Era of Health Monitoring Huawei's commitment to bringing advanced health monitoring technologies to the UAE and the Middle East demonstrates its recognition of the region's role in the future of consumer technology. By prioritising synchronised global launches, regional partnerships, and noninvasive health tracking advancements, Huawei is positioning itself at the forefront of the next wave of wearable innovation. As Huawei expands its wearables portfolio, users in the UAE and across the Middle East can look forward to having immediate access to the latest health innovations, empowering them to take control of their health in a convenient, technology-driven way.
