A recent teardown analysis by iFixit and TechSearch International of Huawei Technologies’ Pura 70 Pro reveals increased Chinese-made components, indicating China’s strides toward technological self-sufficiency. The device featured a NAND memory chip likely assembled by Huawei’s chip unit, HiSilicon, and other local suppliers.
Reuters reported that despite U.S. sanctions, Huawei, known for its resilience in the high-end smartphone market, continues to draw attention from competitors and U.S. policymakers. The concern is Huawei’s role in escalating U.S.-China trade tensions and China’s pursuit of technological independence.
The Pura 70 Pro utilizes an advanced processor, the Kirin 9010, only modestly enhanced from its predecessor in the Mate 60 series. Shahram Mokhtari, the lead teardown technician at iFixit, noted a high domestic component usage, surpassing that in the Mate 60.
“This move by Huawei is all about self-sufficiency,” Mokhtari stated, reflecting on the smartphone’s widespread use of Chinese components. Huawei declined to comment on these findings.
The launch of the Pura 70 series in late April saw rapid sales, with analysts predicting it will likely seize more market share from rivals like Apple. This success has led Washington policymakers to question the effectiveness of current restrictions on Huawei.
China-Made Flash Memory Chip
Previously, Huawei’s Mate 60 had been found to utilize memory chips from South Korea’s SK Hynix. However, with the Pura 70, the NAND flash memory chip appeared to be packaged by Huawei’s HiSilicon, showing capabilities comparable to those of major producers like SK Hynix, Kioxia, and Micron.
Identifying the chip’s manufacturer was challenging due to unfamiliar markings on the NAND die, but according to iFixit, the memory controller is believed to be produced by HiSilicon.
SK Hynix has confirmed its compliance with the restrictions against Huawei, halting all transactions with the company.
Incremental Improvements
The analysis also suggests that Huawei has made only incremental advances in its chipset development with the new Pura 70 Pro. The processor resembles the one in Mate 60, which was produced using a 7-nanometer manufacturing process by SMIC. This finding had previously alarmed U.S. lawmakers, underscoring concerns that sanctions may not significantly hinder China’s tech progress.
Despite these gradual improvements, experts like Mokhtari warn against underestimating Huawei’s potential advancements. They note that SMIC is expected to progress to a 5nm manufacturing process by year’s end. SMIC, however, did not respond to a request for comment on this matter.
