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Huawei Pura 70: the Ultra model gets a retractable lens
by Michelle Brändle
Huawei loses access to chips for notebooks and smartwatches
8.5.2024
Translation: machine translated
Setback for Huawei: One day after the presentation of the new Matebook X Pro, the USA withdraws the export licence for Intel and Qualcomm. Both are no longer allowed to supply chips for laptops or smartwatches to the Chinese manufacturer.
As Reuters reports, citing several sources the U.S. Commerce Department has revoked the existing export licences for Intel and Qualcomm. The Commerce Department itself confirmed the withdrawal of such licences for deliveries to Huawei, but did not name any companies. The chip manufacturers did not comment on the issue when asked.
Excitement about Matebook X Pro
The measures appear to have been triggered by the launch of the Matebook X Pro on 7 May 2024. It is Huawei's first notebook with access to functions made possible by an AI chip. This is made possible by the built-in Core Ultra 9 chipset from Intel.
This announcement particularly angered Republican members of the US Congress. They have now commented with satisfaction on the withdrawal of the export licences. "This action strengthens USA national security, protects American ingenuity and reduces the ability of Communist China to modernise its technologies," said Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.
Huawei itself has not yet issued a statement. However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has already made a statement, criticising the "overuse of the concept of national security" and complaining of an "abuse of export controls to suppress Chinese companies for no reason".
Current impact unclear
The impact on products that have already been announced is still unclear. If they have already been produced, the lack of an export licence should have no impact for the time being. For devices for which Intel and Qualcomm have not yet supplied chips, however, the situation looks bleak. In addition, Huawei is likely to find it much more difficult to produce competitive laptops in the future - unless Microsoft opens up with its current ARM attempt to open the door for the Kirin chipsets from Huawei's own production - and to build smartwatches.
Smartphones are already since 2019 an export ban on chipsets with 5G technology and for Google services within Android. Huawei now relies on Kirin chipsets from its own production and is trying to replace Google services with its own services. Outside of China, however, sales figures have plummeted since the boycott began.
Header image: Huawei
As a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.
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