How difficult is it for Chinese mobile phones to become independent?

Tech 2023-05-15 19:10:01 Source: Network

Although China is the world's largest smartphone market, it has many well-known mobile phone brands, such as Huawei, OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, etc. These brands have many loyal users and fans both domestically and internationally, and have also launched many innovative and competitive products

Although China is the world's largest smartphone market, it has many well-known mobile phone brands, such as Huawei, OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, etc. These brands have many loyal users and fans both domestically and internationally, and have also launched many innovative and competitive products. However, it is not an easy task for Chinese mobile phones to truly achieve independence and autonomy. Because in terms of the core components of mobile phones - chips, baseband, and systems - Chinese mobile phones still face many challenges and difficulties.

Recently, OPPO disbanded all the chip businesses of Zheku without any warning, even giving up the surrounding ISP and NPU chips. It once again made me understand that it is really difficult for Chinese mobile phones to become independent; If you want to live, you have to look at people's faces.

Domestic mobile phone chips are stifled

Mobile phone chips are key components that determine the performance, power consumption, and functionality of mobile phones. They integrate functions such as processors, memory, graphics processors, audio processors, communication modules, and are the most high-end, complex, and expensive part of the mobile phone industry chain. At present, the global mobile chip market is mainly monopolized by several manufacturers such as Qualcomm, MediaTek, Apple, and Samsung. Among Chinese mobile phone chip manufacturers, only Huawei Hiss can independently develop and mass produce flagship processors.

Huawei HiSilicon's Qilin series was once a leading smartphone chip in the industry, with advanced SoC architecture, integration of Modem and AP, and high performance and energy efficiency. It is the only smartphone manufacturer in China that can independently develop and mass produce chips. The Kirin 9000 is the world's first 5nm5GSoC, achieving top level performance in CPU, GPU, NPU, ISP, and other aspects. However, due to the sanctions and bans imposed by the United States on Huawei, Huawei is unable to obtain chip foundry services from suppliers such as TSMC, which poses a crisis for Huawei HiSilicon in the supply of chips.

Apart from Huawei HiSilicon, other domestic mobile phone chip manufacturers such as Ziguang Zhanrui and ZTE Microelectronics have a significant gap in technology level and market share compared to international giants. Although Ziguang Zhanrui once stood out against Qualcomm and MediaTek in the era of functional computers, it fell behind its competitors after entering the era of smartphones. Until in recent years, support was provided after Huawei spun off HonorThe purple light showed some improvement just now. Most of these manufacturers' chips adopt relatively backward manufacturing processes, and their performance and power consumption are not dominant.

In addition, OPPO has also attempted to independently develop chips and established Zheku Technology as a subsidiary, with research and development directions including various chips such as mobile AP, AI processor, NPU, ISP, etc. It is reported that OPPO has invested over 50 billion yuan in Zheku Technology and recruited over 3000 chip talents. However, on May 12, 2023, OPPO suddenly announced the termination of the Zheku business and the dissolution of the Zheku team.

According to former employees of Zheku, OPPO has designed the world's first 3nm mobile phone SoC and is already waiting for its release. At this critical time, the company's executives were in the United States two weeks ago, and it is highly likely that they were warned by the United States, and it is still very serious. All chip businesses are closed, even peripheral chip businesses are not retained.

With the example of Huawei before, the United States is now trying to strangle Chinese mobile phone chips in the cradle. OPPO's decision surprised and saddened the outside world, and also reflected the difficulties and risks of China's self-developed mobile phone chips.

With domestically produced baseband, it cannot be produced

The baseband of mobile phones is a key component that determines the communication capability of mobile phones, including radio frequency, analog, digital signal processing, and other components. It is the core component of mobile phone connection networks and one of the most difficult technical barriers to overcome in the mobile phone industry chain. At present, the global mobile baseband market is mainly monopolized by several manufacturers such as Qualcomm, MediaTek, Samsung, and Intel. Among Chinese mobile phone baseband manufacturers, only Huawei Baron can independently develop and mass produce flagship basebands.

Huawei Baron series baseband is an industry-leading 5G baseband solution with advanced architecture and algorithms, supporting functions such as full network communication, dual mode 5G, and multi mode multi frequency. The Baron 5000 is the world's first baseband that supports SA/NSA dual mode 5G, achieving top level speeds, coverage, latency, and other aspects. However, due to the sanctions and bans imposed by the United States on Huawei, Huawei was unable to obtain baseband OEM services from suppliers such as TSMC, which resulted in Baron not being able to be installed on mobile phones.

Apart from Huawei, other Chinese brands do not have the ability to independently develop mobile phone basebands and can only rely on external suppliers such as Qualcomm and MediaTek. This puts Chinese brands at a disadvantage and risk in terms of mobile communication performance, cost control, and customized demand

New breakthroughs in domestic systems

At present, the global mobile phone system market is mainly dominated by Android and iOS, with Android accounting for over 80% of the market share. A true mobile phone system that provides user interfaces, applications, services, and other functions is the soul of mobile phones. Although there are many domestic mobile phone brands and each has their own system, they are all customized based on Android,Only Huawei Hongmeng can independently develop and mass produce a complete mobile phone system.

Huawei Hongmeng System is a full scene distributed operating system for the Internet of Things, supporting the operation of various terminal devices such as mobile phones, tablets, intelligent wearables, and smart screens. It provides a one-stop service platform for application development and device development. The Hongmeng system has advanced distributed architecture and technology, achieving seamless cross terminal collaborative experience, universal card service, personalized interaction, and intelligent services. The Hongmeng system also has features such as smooth performance, privacy security, and accessibility assistance. The Hongmeng system has covered various devices such as smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and smart TVs, and has over 500 million users.

Apart from Huawei Hongmeng, other domestic mobile phone system manufacturers such as Xiaomi MIUI, OPPOColorOS, vivo FuntouchOS, etc. have significant differences in technology level and market share compared to Android and iOS. These vendors' systems are customized and developed based on Android open-source projects, relying on core services and application stores provided by Google. Due to the sanctions and bans imposed by the United States on Huawei, Huawei is unable to use Google Services GMS and App Store, which has forced Huawei to independently develop the Hongmeng system and break the US technology blockade.

Huawei has not abandoned its mobile phone business, but has accelerated the development and promotion of the Hongmeng system. At present, the Hongmeng system has become the second largest mobile phone system in China. Once Huawei's mobile phones are lifted or opened for use by other mobile phone brands, it is expected to surpass Android in the future.

How difficult is it for Chinese mobile phones to become independent?

It is not an easy task for Chinese mobile phones to achieve independence and autonomy. In terms of mobile chip, baseband, and system, Chinese mobile phones still face many challenges and difficulties. Although Huawei has made certain breakthroughs and achievements in all three aspects, it has also been subjected to ruthless suppression and sanctions from the United States. Other domestic mobile phone manufacturers have a significant gap compared to international giants in these three aspects, and need to increase investment and innovation in order to achieve technological catching up and surpassing. This is a long process that requires the concerted efforts of the entire industry.

How difficult is it for Chinese mobile phones to become independent? The answer is very difficult, but it is not impossible. Huawei is currently stuck in the production process. If Taiwan can be recaptured as soon as possible and the nature of TSMC can be changed, Huawei phones will soon achieve independent independence.

Taking a big step further, we are not completely unable to make mobile phones independent. We can use domestically produced chips with low process technology (not subject to production regulations), but the performance of mobile phones will regress for many years, and the market will not recognize them. Mobile phone manufacturers are also unwilling to do so, causing Chinese mobile phone brands to lose international competitiveness.

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