Huawei's path to autonomy and control: Avoid repeating IBM's mistakes
In recent years, Huawei has been vigorously promoting the development of independent and controllable chips and operating systems, precisely to avoid repeating the mistakes of IBM that were subverted. Looking back at history, it is not difficult to see that IBM fell from the industry giant to a large extent because it neglected to control the intellectual property of key technologies.
In the mid-80s of the 20th century, IBM was still the dominant player in the personal computer market. But because IBM considered the operating system and CPU to be just accessories at the time, it chose to adopt Intel's x86 processor and Microsoft's DOS operating system. This decision led IBM to put the lifeblood of the PC in someone else's hands. Later, Microsoft and Intel quickly rose to become upstarts with their control of key technologies, while IBM declined.
It is precisely because of this painful lesson learned from IBM that Huawei has been increasing its efforts to independently develop chips and operating systems in recent years, with the aim of mastering the intellectual property rights of these key technologies. Chips and operating systems are the "heart" and "brain" of any intelligent terminal device, and whoever masters them can dominate the development direction of the entire industrial chain.
The importance of Huawei's self-developed chips
Chips are known as the "bread and butter of modern society". Without chips, no smart electronics can be produced. At present, the chip market is basically monopolized by a few giants such as Intel, Qualcomm, and Samsung. If Huawei continues to rely on external chip suppliers, it will not be able to control the fate of its own development. If there is a problem in the supply chain, Huawei's entire industrial chain will be severely impacted.
Huawei must develop its own chips to ensure the controllability and connectivity of chip supply. It is understood that Huawei has launched a number of self-developed chips, including Kirin series mobile chips, Ascend AI chips, and Kunpeng general-purpose chips. The performance of these chips is already close to or better than that of products in the same class, and is expected to replace the currently dominant Intel x86 architecture.
Chip design and manufacturing is a system engineering that requires a lot of capital and manpower. Huawei's decisive breakthrough in this area will not happen overnight. However, as long as we insist on independent innovation, I believe that one day Huawei will be able to master the key technology of chips.
The role of the HarmonyOS operating system
In addition to chips, the operating system is another key technology that Huawei must control. The operating system is like the "brain" of the intelligent terminal, which determines the operating logic of the entire system. If the operating system is controlled by others, then the entire ecosystem will also be controlled by others.
It is based on this consideration that Huawei launched its self-developed HarmonyOS in 2019. Unlike Android, HarmonyOS uses a new distributed architecture that can run seamlessly across multiple end devices. Its goal is to build an ecosystem that is independent of Android, thereby reducing dependence on Google's systems.
With its own controllable chips and operating systems, Huawei can truly grasp the "heart" and "brain" of smart devices. This will not only help ensure the security of the supply chain, but also allow Huawei to lead the development direction of future smart devices and avoid repeating the mistakes of IBM.
Learn the lessons of IBM's downfall
The fundamental reason why IBM fell from the top is that it neglected to control the intellectual property of key technologies. At that time, IBM handed over the "heart" and "brain" of the PC to Intel and Microsoft, and in the end, these two companies in turn dominated the development of the entire industry.
This is undoubtedly a profound historical lesson. Once control of key technologies is lost, any company can be disrupted. Huawei must firmly grasp the core technologies of chips and operating systems in order to truly control its own destiny.
Completely in-house development of chips and operating systems is not achieved overnight. This requires Huawei's investment in manpower, finance, and time. However, as long as we continue to innovate independently, we believe that one day Huawei will be able to master these key technologies and avoid repeating the mistakes of IBM.
By in-house developed chips and operating systems, Huawei is preparing for possible technological changes in the future. The purpose of this strategy is to master the intellectual property rights of these key technologies and avoid repeating the mistakes of IBM that were subverted.
The chip and operating system are the "heart" and "brain" of any smart terminal device. Once control over them is lost, the entire industrial chain will be controlled by others. It is precisely because of IBM's painful lessons that Huawei attaches so much importance to autonomy and controllability.
Although independent research and development of chips and operating systems is by no means achieved overnight, as long as it adheres to independent innovation, Huawei will one day be able to master these key technologies. At that point, Huawei will be able to truly control its own destiny and avoid being disrupted by emerging powers. This is a reflection of Huawei's core philosophy of "autonomy and controllability".