Huawei is creating its own tech to challenge Apple, including a foldable PC called MateBook Fold made mostly with in-house parts, and a new Pura 80 phone series with advanced camera tech. They’re investing billions in R&D to build a full HarmonyOS ecosystem, aiming to break the Windows and macOS dominance and boost China’s tech independence.
Report: Huawei ramps up in-house tech with foldable PC, Pura 80 smartphone to challenge Apple
In a recent teardown report by Chinese industry analysts, Huawei's foldable notebook—the MateBook Fold, which also happens to be the world's first laptop running HarmonyOS—was revealed to be powered almost entirely by in-house components developed by HiSilicon, Huawei's semiconductor arm. These include the processor, power management ICs, and communications modules for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NearLink (Huawei's proprietary short-range wireless technology).
Separately, Huawei is poised to unveil its Pura 80 series flagship smartphones on June 11, 2025, a day after Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown in the premium mobile imaging arena.
HarmonyOS PC: A vertically integrated challenge to the status quo
The MateBook Fold represents more than just a foldable design—it's a strategic statement. Key hardware components, including the Hi9600 processor, power controller, and connectivity modules, are all self-developed by HiSilicon, making it one of the most domestically integrated notebooks in the Chinese market to date.
The device also features an intricately engineered Xuanwu waterdrop hinge with mortise-and-tenon construction, pushing the envelope in structural mechanics. Paired with a dual-layer OLED display—boasting 1,600 nits peak HDR brightness, 3.3K resolution, LTPO dynamic refresh rate, and a 92% screen-to-body ratio—the notebook merges smartphone-grade visual technology with PC-level computing power.
Strategically, Huawei's rollout of HarmonyOS PC is designed to disrupt the longstanding Windows and macOS duopoly. The company claims the project has spanned five years, involved over 10,000 engineers, and resulted in more than 2,700 patent applications, demonstrating full-stack autonomy from chip architecture to operating system.
Analysts at China's CCID Think Tank and iiMedia Research suggest the move signals a breakthrough in China's foundational software capabilities and positions Huawei as a key architect in shaping the domestic computing ecosystem.
Pura 80 aims directly at Apple's high-end market
Beyond its PC ambitions, Huawei is also doubling down on premium mobile devices. The upcoming Pura 80 series will reportedly debut a dual telephoto lens system based on a movable prism design, enabling seamless optical path switching between standard and ultra-telephoto ranges. The setup utilizes a shared CMOS sensor and OIS module to enhance long-range and low-light photography.
This innovation builds on over a decade of Huawei's leadership in mobile imaging—from Leica co-engineered dual cameras and periscope lenses to its XD Fusion Pro engine. Since its inception in 2012, the Pura series has positioned imaging at its core: the P20 introduced AI photography, the P30 featured RYYB sensors, and the P60 delivered ultra-gathering telephoto capabilities. The Pura 80 continues this legacy.
Counterpoint Research reports that Huawei held the largest share of the Chinese smartphone market in the first quarter of 2025, capturing 19.4%. The company's Pura 70 series, introduced in 2024, has achieved shipments exceeding 13 million units. Ahead of the release of the Pura 80, pre-orders on Huawei's official store have surpassed 500,000, indicating significant consumer interest.
Sanctions drive Huawei's US$25 billion R&D push
Facing ongoing US sanctions and limitations on advanced semiconductor manufacturing, Huawei has implemented a long-term strategy focused on substantial investment in research and development.
The company's 2024 financial report reveals CNY179.7 billion (US$25.01 billion) in R&D expenditure—20.8% of total revenue, outpacing most global consumer tech peers. Over the past decade, cumulative R&D spending has exceeded CNY1.24 trillion, with more than 50% of its workforce dedicated to research and development.
From smartphones and tablets to PCs, smart vehicles, and telecom infrastructure, Huawei is methodically building a HarmonyOS-centric ecosystem that is increasingly difficult to replicate. The platform has now been integrated into over 1 billion devices, with more than 2,000 HarmonyOS-native applications spanning productivity, education, entertainment, and creative design.
Report: Huawei ramps up in-house tech with foldable PC, Pura 80 smartphone to challenge Apple
In a recent teardown report by Chinese industry analysts, Huawei's foldable notebook—the MateBook Fold, which also happens to be the world's first laptop running HarmonyOS—was revealed to be powered almost entirely by in-house components developed by HiSilicon, Huawei's semiconductor arm. These include the processor, power management ICs, and communications modules for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NearLink (Huawei's proprietary short-range wireless technology).
Separately, Huawei is poised to unveil its Pura 80 series flagship smartphones on June 11, 2025, a day after Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown in the premium mobile imaging arena.
HarmonyOS PC: A vertically integrated challenge to the status quo
The MateBook Fold represents more than just a foldable design—it's a strategic statement. Key hardware components, including the Hi9600 processor, power controller, and connectivity modules, are all self-developed by HiSilicon, making it one of the most domestically integrated notebooks in the Chinese market to date.
The device also features an intricately engineered Xuanwu waterdrop hinge with mortise-and-tenon construction, pushing the envelope in structural mechanics. Paired with a dual-layer OLED display—boasting 1,600 nits peak HDR brightness, 3.3K resolution, LTPO dynamic refresh rate, and a 92% screen-to-body ratio—the notebook merges smartphone-grade visual technology with PC-level computing power.
Strategically, Huawei's rollout of HarmonyOS PC is designed to disrupt the longstanding Windows and macOS duopoly. The company claims the project has spanned five years, involved over 10,000 engineers, and resulted in more than 2,700 patent applications, demonstrating full-stack autonomy from chip architecture to operating system.
Analysts at China's CCID Think Tank and iiMedia Research suggest the move signals a breakthrough in China's foundational software capabilities and positions Huawei as a key architect in shaping the domestic computing ecosystem.
Pura 80 aims directly at Apple's high-end market
Beyond its PC ambitions, Huawei is also doubling down on premium mobile devices. The upcoming Pura 80 series will reportedly debut a dual telephoto lens system based on a movable prism design, enabling seamless optical path switching between standard and ultra-telephoto ranges. The setup utilizes a shared CMOS sensor and OIS module to enhance long-range and low-light photography.
This innovation builds on over a decade of Huawei's leadership in mobile imaging—from Leica co-engineered dual cameras and periscope lenses to its XD Fusion Pro engine. Since its inception in 2012, the Pura series has positioned imaging at its core: the P20 introduced AI photography, the P30 featured RYYB sensors, and the P60 delivered ultra-gathering telephoto capabilities. The Pura 80 continues this legacy.
Counterpoint Research reports that Huawei held the largest share of the Chinese smartphone market in the first quarter of 2025, capturing 19.4%. The company's Pura 70 series, introduced in 2024, has achieved shipments exceeding 13 million units. Ahead of the release of the Pura 80, pre-orders on Huawei's official store have surpassed 500,000, indicating significant consumer interest.
Sanctions drive Huawei's US$25 billion R&D push
Facing ongoing US sanctions and limitations on advanced semiconductor manufacturing, Huawei has implemented a long-term strategy focused on substantial investment in research and development.
The company's 2024 financial report reveals CNY179.7 billion (US$25.01 billion) in R&D expenditure—20.8% of total revenue, outpacing most global consumer tech peers. Over the past decade, cumulative R&D spending has exceeded CNY1.24 trillion, with more than 50% of its workforce dedicated to research and development.
From smartphones and tablets to PCs, smart vehicles, and telecom infrastructure, Huawei is methodically building a HarmonyOS-centric ecosystem that is increasingly difficult to replicate. The platform has now been integrated into over 1 billion devices, with more than 2,000 HarmonyOS-native applications spanning productivity, education, entertainment, and creative design.
Report: Huawei ramps up in-house tech with foldable PC, Pura 80 smartphone to challenge Apple
In a recent teardown report by Chinese industry analysts, Huawei's foldable notebook—the MateBook Fold, which also happens to be the world's first laptop running HarmonyOS—was revealed to be powered almost entirely by in-house components developed by HiSilicon, Huawei's semiconductor arm. These include the processor, power management ICs, and communications modules for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NearLink (Huawei's proprietary short-range wireless technology).
Separately, Huawei is poised to unveil its Pura 80 series flagship smartphones on June 11, 2025, a day after Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown in the premium mobile imaging arena.
HarmonyOS PC: A vertically integrated challenge to the status quo
The MateBook Fold represents more than just a foldable design—it's a strategic statement. Key hardware components, including the Hi9600 processor, power controller, and connectivity modules, are all self-developed by HiSilicon, making it one of the most domestically integrated notebooks in the Chinese market to date.
The device also features an intricately engineered Xuanwu waterdrop hinge with mortise-and-tenon construction, pushing the envelope in structural mechanics. Paired with a dual-layer OLED display—boasting 1,600 nits peak HDR brightness, 3.3K resolution, LTPO dynamic refresh rate, and a 92% screen-to-body ratio—the notebook merges smartphone-grade visual technology with PC-level computing power.
Strategically, Huawei's rollout of HarmonyOS PC is designed to disrupt the longstanding Windows and macOS duopoly. The company claims the project has spanned five years, involved over 10,000 engineers, and resulted in more than 2,700 patent applications, demonstrating full-stack autonomy from chip architecture to operating system.
Analysts at China's CCID Think Tank and iiMedia Research suggest the move signals a breakthrough in China's foundational software capabilities and positions Huawei as a key architect in shaping the domestic computing ecosystem.
Pura 80 aims directly at Apple's high-end market
Beyond its PC ambitions, Huawei is also doubling down on premium mobile devices. The upcoming Pura 80 series will reportedly debut a dual telephoto lens system based on a movable prism design, enabling seamless optical path switching between standard and ultra-telephoto ranges. The setup utilizes a shared CMOS sensor and OIS module to enhance long-range and low-light photography.
This innovation builds on over a decade of Huawei's leadership in mobile imaging—from Leica co-engineered dual cameras and periscope lenses to its XD Fusion Pro engine. Since its inception in 2012, the Pura series has positioned imaging at its core: the P20 introduced AI photography, the P30 featured RYYB sensors, and the P60 delivered ultra-gathering telephoto capabilities. The Pura 80 continues this legacy.
Counterpoint Research reports that Huawei held the largest share of the Chinese smartphone market in the first quarter of 2025, capturing 19.4%. The company's Pura 70 series, introduced in 2024, has achieved shipments exceeding 13 million units. Ahead of the release of the Pura 80, pre-orders on Huawei's official store have surpassed 500,000, indicating significant consumer interest.
Sanctions drive Huawei's US$25 billion R&D push
Facing ongoing US sanctions and limitations on advanced semiconductor manufacturing, Huawei has implemented a long-term strategy focused on substantial investment in research and development.
The company's 2024 financial report reveals CNY179.7 billion (US$25.01 billion) in R&D expenditure—20.8% of total revenue, outpacing most global consumer tech peers. Over the past decade, cumulative R&D spending has exceeded CNY1.24 trillion, with more than 50% of its workforce dedicated to research and development.
From smartphones and tablets to PCs, smart vehicles, and telecom infrastructure, Huawei is methodically building a HarmonyOS-centric ecosystem that is increasingly difficult to replicate. The platform has now been integrated into over 1 billion devices, with more than 2,000 HarmonyOS-native applications spanning productivity, education, entertainment, and creative design. ...
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