Huawei's latest smartphone 'Mate 60 Pro' was found to be equipped with a 7nm process 5G chip, has China succeeded in avoiding strict export regulations led by the United States?
On August 30, 2023,
TechInsights Finds SMIC 7nm (N+2) in Huawei Mate 60 Pro | TechInsights
https://www.techinsights.com/blog/techinsights-finds-smic-7nm-n2-huawei-mate-60-pro
Look Inside Huawei Mate 60 Pro Phone Powered by Made-in-China Chip - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-09-04/look-inside-huawei-mate-60-pro-phone-powered-by-made-in-china-chip
While under US sanctions, where did Huawei get the advanced chips for its latest Mate 60 Pro smartphone? | South China Morning Post
https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3233166/while-under-us-sanctions-where-did-huawei-get-advanced-chips-its-latest-mate-60-pro- smartphone
Huawei's New Mystery 7nm Chip from Chinese Fab Defies US Sanctions | Tom's Hardware
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/huaweis-new-mystery-7nm-chip-from-chinese-fab-defies-us-sanctions
In recent years, the United States has restricted the sales of telecommunications equipment by Chinese companies such as Huaweidue to security threats , and has imposed export restrictions on cutting-edge semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing technology for semiconductor companies such as SMIC. is being strengthened . It was reported that China is working to strengthen the manufacturing technology of domestic chips in response to these regulations.
On August 30, when Mr. Gina Lemond, the United States Secretary of Commerce involved in the regulation of such Chinese companies, was visiting China, Huawei suddenly announced the latest smartphone 'Mate 60 Pro'. Huawei has not announced details about the Mate 60 Pro's mobile communication and chip, but the chip is believed to be the Kirin 9000s, the successor to the Kirin 9000 used in existing models.
The Mate 60 Pro was only distributed in small quantities and sold out quickly, but some media managed to get the real thing. Tech media Gizmochina, who actually got the Mate 60 Pro, conducted its own AnTuTu benchmark test and reported that the 5G network is back, and the Kirin 9000s supports 5G connectivity. There was talk of it as a possibility.
Is Huawei's 'Mate 60 Pro' equipped with a proprietary 5G chip to avoid regulations? - GIGAZINE
Meanwhile, Bloomberg, who got the Mate 60 Pro, asked TechInsights, which handles technical analysis and consultants for various electronic devices, to analyze the chip of the Mate 60 Pro. After examining the Mate 60 Pro's lab in Ottawa, Canada, TechInsights concluded that the Mate 60 Pro chip was manufactured on SMIC's 7nm process based on various identifying features and die dimensional measurements. Ta.
Below is a photo of the 'chip installed in the Mate 60 Pro' published by Bloomberg.
by James Park/Bloomberg
It has long been pointed out that SMIC has succeeded in manufacturing chips in the 7nm process, even with strict export restrictions on semiconductor technology.
It turns out that the Chinese semiconductor maker 'SMIC' is mass-producing 7 nm chips that even Intel struggled with, and is rapidly growing into the world's third largest foundry - GIGAZINE
'The discovery of Kirin chips using SMIC's 7nm (N+2) foundry process in Huawei's new smartphone 'Mate 60 Pro' is a big step forward for the Chinese semiconductor industry,' said Dan Hutchison, TechInsights vice chairman of technology. It shows that technological progress could be achieved without EUV lithography tools.This difficulty shows that China's chip technology strength is highly resilient, while at the same time trying to limit access to critical semiconductor manufacturing technologies. It's also a big geopolitical challenge for countries that have been with us, which may result in even greater restrictions than we have today.'
The South China Morning Post, a daily English newspaper in Hong Kong, also advocated the possibility that ``the chip used in the Mate 60 Pro was imported from Taiwan's TSMC before the tightening of regulations in the United States.'' However, this explanation contradicts a report from TechInsights, which concluded that it was made by SMIC based on the characteristics of the chip.
Bloomberg points out that it is unclear whether SMIC can mass-produce 5G chips on the 7nm process due to the low distribution volume of Mate 60 Pro, and whether it can be manufactured at a cost that can withstand practical use. Still, 'concerns that the Mate 60 Pro chip could be used to boost China's military power cast doubt on the effectiveness of the US-led global campaign to block China's access to cutting-edge technology. 'It's something that throws at you,' he said.
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