Impact of US Trade Ban on Huawei
The US trade ban has significantly affected Huawei, stripping its phones of 5G capabilities and Google services. Additionally, the ban has hindered the development of Huawei’s in-house Kirin SoC. Aside from the mid-range Kirin 710A, there are no significant Kirin chips currently on the market. However, this scenario may soon change, as Huawei is reportedly gearing up to launch the Kirin A2 chipset for wearables by the end of the year.
Kirin A2 Chip in the Pipeline
Huawei Central reports that the company is preparing to launch the Kirin A2 chip by the end of 2023. After completing chipset testing, Huawei is now transitioning to the production phase. If everything goes according to plan, Huawei could unveil the chipset in Q3 or Q4.
According to the report, the Kirin A2 chipset is ready for the trial stage and has the capacity for mass production. Nevertheless, Huawei might alter its plans for the final production stage, potentially leading to a shift in the launch timeline. Although specific details about the upcoming chipset remain undisclosed, it is expected to power Huawei’s forthcoming line of wearables.
A Look into the Kirin A-Series
As a reminder, the Kirin A-series was officially introduced for wearable devices, such as earphones, smartwatches, and other similar gadgets. The most recent release in this lineup was the Kirin A1, which debuted as the world’s first Bluetooth 5.1 and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.1 wearable chip. Developed by HiSilicon and manufactured by Taiwan’s TSMC, these chips do not require advanced process technology. Consequently, Huawei was able to continue their development even after the trade ban was implemented.
