China’s Huawei to roll out new smartphone brand Osta, 6 years after giving up Honor

Huawei Technologies is set to unveil a new smartphone brand called Osta, six years after separating its budget-oriented Honor brand due to US sanctions. Richard Yu, chairman of Huawei's Consumer Business Group, announced the brand's debut on November 20 via a social media post on Weibo. The announcement of Osta will coincide with Huawei's release of new electric vehicles.

The post included a device tag indicating it was sent from an "Osta O1 Pro", a model previously identified by tech bloggers as the sub-brand's first bar-style handset. Online leaks revealed the device would feature a widescreen design with a display similar to Huawei's flagship Pura X View. Huawei did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday regarding the new sub-brand.

The launch of Osta marks Huawei's first major sub-brand venture since selling Honor to a consortium of over 30 agents and dealers in late 2020 to protect the unit from US trade sanctions that blocked access to advanced chips. Since the sanctions, Huawei's smartphone business has recovered, capturing a 21.3% share in China's market in the third quarter of 2026, ahead of Apple and local rivals.

Alongside the mobile push, Huawei is advancing its artificial intelligence infrastructure, preparing to launch a magneto-electric storage system designed for warm and cold data, according to financial media outlet Yicai. The MES architecture is seen as a cost-efficient and high-performance alternative to traditional hard disk drives for enterprise workloads.