Huawei unveiled the new MateBook X Pro laptop at the high-profile HarmonyOS communication conference.
This high-end notebook was a major breakthrough in technology, and it caused a stir in the global tech community as soon as it was released.
However, on the US side, some congressmen were shocked and outraged by this, believing that the incident posed a threat to US national security. What's going on?
First, hit the scene of the press conference
On April 11, 2024, Huawei released its latest flagship laptop, the MateBook X Pro, at the HarmonyOS communication conference.
This top-of-the-line device occupies the C position in Huawei's notebook series, with a starting price of 11129 yuan, which makes many people lament that their wallets are going to lose weight.
The MateBook X Pro not only inherits the exquisite design and powerful performance of the series, but also achieves a number of technological breakthroughs, especially the Pangu model for the first time, becoming a smart PC with AI-empowered all-scenario applications.
Despite the impressive technological advancements of the MateBook X Pro, the domestic market response has been relatively muted due to the high pricing.
Also released at the same time was the Zhijie S7 smart device, which further distracted consumers' attention.
Many consumer and media reviews have pointed out that while the new product has excellent performance, its high price discourages the average consumer.
2. Why is the United States angry?
As soon as Huawei's new MateBook X Pro was released, it attracted angry condemnation from US Congressman Alice.
The Democratic congressman from California fired on social platforms, criticizing the U.S. Department of Commerce's relaxation of Huawei's chip export policy, calling it a major mistake in national security.
Alice tweeted: "I can't believe the U.S. Department of Commerce would make such a compromise with Huawei! This is simply extremely irresponsible for national security! We must not allow this to continue! "
She also called on the U.S. government to take tougher measures to prevent Huawei from gaining access to U.S. technology.
Alice's remarks were supported by many, with some netizens commenting: "She's so right! Huawei poses a serious threat to the United States, and we must stop them from developing! "
But there are also those who believe that Alice's reaction was too violent.
Councillor McCall is also unhappy with Huawei's Intel Ultra 9 high-performance CPU.
He believes that in the past two years, the United States has not significantly improved its policy towards Huawei, and continuing to let Intel sell high-performance chips to Huawei will only further weaken the competitiveness of the United States in the field of science and technology.
So why are these U.S. lawmakers so hostile to Huawei? It's a long story, but it goes back to 2019.
That year, the U.S. government added Huawei to the Entity List, leaving it unable to obtain critical technologies and components from U.S. companies.
The ban dealt a severe blow to Huawei, but it also cost American tech companies a lot of money.
After all, Huawei is one of the world's largest smartphone manufacturers and a key customer for many U.S. tech companies.
In order to alleviate the tight supply chain, the U.S. government issued licenses to companies such as Intel in 2020, allowing them to supply some chips to Huawei. However, this decision was strongly opposed by some US congressmen.
They believe that Huawei is a "tool of the Chinese government" and that providing chips to Huawei is tantamount to "funding the Chinese military."
Now, Intel's license is about to expire, and the debate in American politics around the renewal is heating up again.
Lawmakers who support the renewal believe that the move could help U.S. tech companies recover their losses and avoid giving up the chip market to other countries.
Legislators who oppose the renewal insist that Huawei remains a "national security threat" and that no support can be provided to it.
2. If the license is not renewed, what will be the impact on Huawei?
If Intel can't get a license renewal, the just-released MateBook X Pro could be the last generation of the series to be powered by Intel's high-performance CPUs. For Huawei, this will be a major blow.
Although Huawei has also made breakthroughs in self-developed chips, it is not realistic to completely replace Intel's high-performance CPUs in the short term.
Huawei will have to face the challenge of finding alternatives, which could affect its competitiveness in the high-end notebook market.
Nevertheless, if Intel's high-performance chip support is lost, Huawei's layout in the high-end market will be seriously affected.
As its flagship product, the loss of Intel's technical support will undoubtedly weaken its market competitiveness, especially in the international market.
Faced with the obstacles of the US chip ban, Huawei seems to have no choice but to accelerate the development and application of self-developed chips.
Even if Huawei is able to launch an alternative in the short term, it will be difficult to match Intel's Ultra 9 chip in terms of performance and efficiency.
This is not only a technical test, but also a test of market confidence and brand reputation.
Will consumers be willing to buy Huawei products equipped with self-developed chips? Will they trust Huawei's products to deliver performance and experience that rivals or even exceeds Intel's chips? These are all real-world issues that Huawei needs to face.
epilogue
Huawei, the Chinese technology company, has long been known for its innovative strength and tenacity.
Now, in the face of unprecedented resistance, can Huawei create a miracle again? Let's wait and see!