Huawei's Pura 70 Series Shows Signs of Progress, But Reliance on Foreign Tech Remains

Huawei’s recent launch of the Pura 70 smartphone series has generated significant buzz, particularly with its rapid sell-out. Analysts see it as a potential challenger to Apple’s iPhone and a symbol of the Chinese tech giant’s resilience in the face of US restrictions.

The Pura 70 boasts advanced cameras and a sleek design, positioning it differently from the Mate 60 series launched last year, which focused on performance and business features.

Teardowns conducted by iFixit and TechSearch International offered insights into the phone’s internal components. Here’s a breakdown:

Processor: The Pura 70 utilizes an advanced system-on-chip (SoC). External markings suggest it’s based on the older Kirin 9000s found in the Mate 60, manufactured by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) using a 7nm N+2 process. Teardown firms have dubbed it the Kirin 9010.

Memory: Similar to the Mate 60, the Pura 70 employs DRAM chips from South Korea’s SK Hynix. However, a key difference lies in the NAND flash memory. Markings indicate potential in-house production by Huawei’s HiSilicon unit, contrasting with the Mate 60’s reliance on SK Hynix for this component.

NAND Flash: The Pura 70’s impressive 1TB storage capacity, on par with many high-end laptops, is achieved through just 8 NAND dies, indicating high density comparable to leading foreign manufacturers like SK Hynix, Kioxia, and Micron. iFixit further suggests HiSilicon may have produced the memory controller as well.

While the exact wafer manufacturer remains unidentified, markings suggest a domestic Chinese source.

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Other China-Made Components: HiSilicon’s presence extends to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules, as well as power management chips, showcasing domestic design capabilities. Additionally, domestic suppliers like Goodix and Awinic contribute components like audio amplifiers and LED flash drivers.

Foreign-Made Components: Despite these advancements, the Pura 70 still relies on some foreign parts. The battery charger comes from Taiwan’s Richtek, and notably, the motion and rotation sensor is sourced from Germany’s Bosch.

iFixit raises an interesting point: considering China’s potential domestic production of these sensors, the reason for using a foreign supplier remains unclear.

Overall: The Pura 70 series highlights Huawei’s progress in developing its own components, particularly with the potential in-house production of NAND flash memory.

However, the presence of foreign-made parts underscores the ongoing reliance on international suppliers, suggesting the company’s journey towards complete independence remains a work in progress.