On August 29, 2023, Huawei officially launched the Mate 60 Pro, sparking nationwide buzz. Amid a semiconductor downturn, the new phone could help revive consumer electronics sentiment. More importantly, with overseas restrictions on China's chip industry tightening, Huawei's return with the Kirin 9000s sends a strong signal for domestic semiconductor localization.
On the afternoon of August 29, Huawei's latest flagship, the Mate 60 Pro, went on sale on its official e-commerce platform, priced at RMB 6,999 for the 12+512GB version — half a month earlier than expected.
Basic specs:
- Battery: 5,000mAh, supports 88W wired charging, 50W wireless, and 20W reverse wireless.
- Display: 6.82-inch OLED, 2720x1260 resolution, 1.07 billion colors, P3 wide color gamut, 1-120Hz LTPO adaptive refresh rate, 1440Hz high-frequency PWM dimming. In-display fingerprint sensor, USB 3.1 Gen 1, second-gen Kunlun Glass (2x drop resistance).
- Camera: 50MP main (OIS) + 12MP ultrawide + 48MP periscope telephoto (OIS), 13MP front camera. AI gesture control, smart payment, and glance-to-stay-on features return.
- Storage: 12GB RAM, 256/512GB/1TB ROM, expandable via NM card up to 256GB.
- System: HarmonyOS 4.0 with Pangu large model, enabling personalized features, improved smoothness, and AI capabilities.
Key highlights:
(1) First mainstream smartphone with satellite calling The Mate 60 Pro is the world's first mainstream phone to support satellite calls, allowing calls and texts even without cellular coverage (requires China Telecom SIM). It also supports satellite messaging with location tracking. This builds on the Mate 50's Beidou short-message feature and the P60's two-way Beidou messaging. The satellite call chip is custom-made by a subsidiary of China Electronics Technology Group, relying on the Tiantong-1 satellite system.
(2) Likely 5G return, domestic supply chain breakthrough Huawei's official page does not disclose chip details or 5G support, but network speed tests show download/upload speeds at 5G levels. This suggests domestic breakthroughs in RF filters and a fully de-Americanized supply chain.
(3) Kirin 9000s chip, SMIC-made, rivaling TSMC 7nm The Mate 60 Pro uses the Kirin 9000s, manufactured by SMIC. Rumored to use SMIC's N+1 process, it features 1x 2.62GHz super core + 3x 2.15GHz big cores + 4x 1.53GHz small cores. CPU performance slightly below Snapdragon 865, GPU near Snapdragon 888 — comparable to TSMC 7nm.
Kirin 9000s: Mid-range performance
According to IDC, Huawei sold ~30 million phones in 2022, down from 240 million in 2019, mainly due to US sanctions on 5G chips. The Mate 30 (first 5G) sold 20 million units, while the Mate 40/50 (post-sanctions) sold under 10 million and 6 million respectively. If the Mate 60 series features a domestic 5G chip, it could significantly boost sales, driving upgrades and new customers.
Huawei supply chain: First mass-market satellite phone, likely to drive demand for satellite communication chips. Early tests show download speeds >480Mbps, plus wireless charging and fast charging — benefiting RF components, filters, and wireless charging chips.
Semiconductor supply chain: If the Mate 60 uses a domestic 5G chip, it marks a milestone for China's chip industry, with foundry, packaging, and equipment as key beneficiaries.
Localization outlook
Domestic chipmakers are expanding capacity despite the downturn. SMIC, the only Chinese foundry mass-producing 14nm FinFET, plans to expand in Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. Hua Hong Semiconductor, with the National IC Fund, is building a 12-inch mature node line in Wuxi, expected to ramp up in H2 2024. YMTC, CXMT, and Yuexin also have large expansion plans. This, combined with localization, will benefit upstream materials, equipment, and parts.
Semiconductor materials: Many sub-segments are dominated by foreign players, but local firms are making inroads. As the industry recovers and localization deepens, leading material companies will gain share.
Semiconductor equipment: Core front-end equipment is still mostly imported, but non-core domestic equipment has gained share. Local makers are also breaking into etching, deposition, and other core tools for mature nodes, with potential for volume growth.
Semiconductor equipment parts: Localization is progressing.
Huawei's Mate 60 series is a milestone for both Huawei's supply chain and China's semiconductor industry: (1) it could boost Huawei's phone shipments; (2) it marks a key step in chip localization, driving upstream and downstream development.
