Huawei says its new smartphone chip is entirely free of any US-made components

Huawei unveiled its new Kirin 9050 Pro smartphone chip, which it claims to be entirely free of US-made components. The chip powers the company's Mate XT 2, the latest model in its tri-fold line of devices starting at 19,999 yuan (~$2,980). Huawei has reduced its reliance on foreign semiconductor equipment, which could be the main highlight of this announcement, despite not mentioning any sanctions in their press materials.

Huawei's chairman, Richard Yu, described the Kirin 9050 Pro as the company's most powerful chip to date, with a 42% overall improvement compared to the previous generation Mate XTs' Kirin 9020. The new chip offers a 24% higher peak single-core and 52% higher multi-core performance, as well as a 142% jump in graphics rendering capabilities. The chip is built on LogicFolding, a technique where logic is split across two active silicon layers, reducing the operating voltage while increasing density.

Although the performance figures are impressive, all this information comes directly from Huawei without any independent verification. The Kirin 9050 Pro is the first commercial silicon built using LogicFolding, a technique that could lower operating voltage and increase density. However, Huawei still relies on US and Western technology for manufacturing, as evidenced by the use of ASML scanners and equipment from Applied Materials and Lam Research in the production process.