As we wait for the official arrival of the P70 series, Huawei is rumored to introduce the direct successor to the Mate 60 lineup later this year, the Mate 70. The company is said to announce the new models in October, with its highlights being an upgraded Kirin chipset and improved imaging capabilities. Unfortunately, in-depth details of the SoC are yet to be unearthed, but looking at Huawei’s current efforts, it could be its most advanced silicon to date.
The unnamed Kirin chipset powering the Mate 70 family could be Huawei’s first 5nm silicon, directly succeeding the Kirin 9000S
With Huawei’s success with the Mate 60 series launch last year, primarily due to its Kirin 9000S chipset, the company likely intends to keep the momentum running with the Mate 70 launch. Previously, we reported that the P70 family is expected to arrive with the Kirin 9010. However, given that its name is not that different from the Kirin 9000S, it could be a slightly altered version of the latter. This means that an entirely new SoC could launch with the Mate 70’s inception, and according to past reports, it could be Huawei’s and SMIC’s first 5nm part.
The information surrounding Mate 70’s upgrades comes from CnBeta, with additional details mentioning that the flagship models will ditch Android entirely and ship with Huawei’s HarmonyOS. Since Huawei does not ship its handsets overseas and limits them to China, it will make little difference to the user experience, as customers rely on local apps and services instead of the ones developed by Google. It is also reported that Huawei aims to have a higher shipment volume of the Mate 70 prepared than the Mate 60.
This can mean that Huawei and SMIC will work together to ensure that a steady supply of chips is available for the new models. China’s biggest semiconductor manufacturer was previously said to be setting up 5nm production lines for Huawei’s next Kirin chipset, with commercialization possibly kicking off later this year. Unfortunately, the company will rely on the older DUV equipment to make this happen, and it can result in those 5nm wafers becoming 50 percent more expensive compared to TSMC’s on the same lithography.
Furthermore, the chances of lower wafer yields are high due to using previous-generation machinery instead of cutting-edge EUV hardware. Still, it should be worth it if it means Huawei gets to launch an advanced chipset for the Mate 70 series while cutting off dependency on foreign companies. The former Chinese giant is reportedly investing approximately $1.66 billion in a chip R&D plant. However, it is unconfirmed if the facility will enable the mass production of future Kirin chipsets. It appears that we will wait until October to continue receiving updates on the matter.
News Source: CnBeta
