Huawei Disappoints Viewers by not Discussing Mate 60 Phones at Product Launch

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, is seen on a screen during the livestreaming of a Huawei launch event at a Huawei flagship store in Beijing, China September 25, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo
Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, is seen on a screen during the livestreaming of a Huawei launch event at a Huawei flagship store in Beijing, China September 25, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo
TT

Huawei Disappoints Viewers by not Discussing Mate 60 Phones at Product Launch

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, is seen on a screen during the livestreaming of a Huawei launch event at a Huawei flagship store in Beijing, China September 25, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo
Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, is seen on a screen during the livestreaming of a Huawei launch event at a Huawei flagship store in Beijing, China September 25, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo

Huawei Technologies on Monday showcased a series of new products from a gold smartwatch to a smart car but disappointed viewers by not revealing more details about its new Mate 60 smartphone series, prompting an outpouring of complaints online.

The event, held in a stadium and watched by millions online, was expected to see Huawei break its silence on the smartphone, which has been hailed by Chinese state media as a sign the firm had overcome US sanctions that since 2019 has cut its access to advanced chipmaking tools and crippled its smartphone unit, Reuters reported.

The smartphone was launched without any fanfare last month during US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo's visit to China. Some users and analysts who bought the Mate 60 Pro say it uses a Chinese-made chip and is capable of 5G speeds.

Huawei has so far not commented on the full capabilities of the Mate 60 series, which is seen as its first major effort since the sanctions to challenge Apple's dominance in the smartphone market.

Yu Chengdong, CEO of Huawei's consumer business group, however, did nod to the smartphone in his opening remarks when he gave a "special thanks to the whole nation for their tremendous support, especially since the (Mate 60 Pro) Pioneer Program was launched".

As Yu spoke, members of the audience chanted "far, far ahead" - a phrase that has gone viral on Chinese social media since the Mate 60 Pro's launch as a take on Huawei's competitiveness.

"Our products have been well-received and trusted by everyone after hitting the market. We are working overtime urgently to manufacture more so that more people can buy our products," Yu said.

But as the two hour-long event progressed, commentators on the livestream began asking when Yu would talk about Mate 60 as he presented a series of new products ranging from a tablet product to a ultra, high-end brand called 'Ultimate Design'.

By Monday afternoon, after the event ended, the topic "Huawei's press conference did not mention smartphones" began trending on the Weibo social media platform and was among the top ten most read hashtags with more than 8 million views.

"Why didn't they talk about it? Everyone watched it because of the smartphone," one Weibo user Maniler said.

The event ended with a group of people on stage waving Mate 60 smartphones with flashlights switched on, as they sang "Glorious Years", a Cantopop hit by Hong Kong rock band Beyond whose lyrics speak to the struggles Nelson Mandela faced in South Africa.

Another Weibo user said such an ending, combined with the lack of discussion of the smartphone, left him baffled.

"What kind of move is this?" he said.

Huawei did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its decision to not discuss the Mate 60 Pro during the event and on the social media reaction.



Apple Ordered by EU Antitrust Regulators to Open up to Rivals

Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store during a media preview, a day ahead of its launch in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo
Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store during a media preview, a day ahead of its launch in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo
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Apple Ordered by EU Antitrust Regulators to Open up to Rivals

Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store during a media preview, a day ahead of its launch in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo
Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store during a media preview, a day ahead of its launch in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo

Apple was ordered by EU antitrust regulators on Wednesday to open up its closed ecosystem to rivals, with the latter spelling out details on how to go about it in line with the bloc's landmark rules and where non-compliance could lead to an investigation and fines.

The move by the European Commission came six months after it opened so-called specification proceedings to ensure that the iPhone maker complies with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) which seeks to rein in the power of Big Tech.

The first EU order requires Apple to give rival makers of smartphones, headphones and virtual reality headsets access to its technology and mobile operating system so they can connect with iPhones and iPads seamlessly, Reuters reported.

The second EU order sets out a detailed process and timeline for Apple to respond to interoperability requests from app developers.

Apple slammed the EU order, saying it would hurt users and help its rivals.

"Today's decisions wrap us in red tape, slowing down Apple's ability to innovate for users in Europe and forcing us to give away our new features for free to companies who don't have to play by the same rules," the company said in an email.

"It's bad for our products and for our European users. We will continue to work with the European Commission to help them understand our concerns on behalf of our users," added Apple.

"With these decision, we are simply implementing the law, and providing regulatory certainty both to Apple and to developers," EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said in a statement.

Apple could face an investigation if regulators subsequently find that it has not followed through on the order that could lead to a fine as much as 10% of its global annual sales.