Huawei seeks help from rival mobile-chip makers

Huawei is seeking refuge from rival mobile-chip makers following the recent move from the US government against the Chinese group.  

Huawei taps rival mobile-chip makers

Huawei strengthens partnership with MediaTek, UNISOC

In a report by Nikkei Asian Review, the technology giant has tapped MediaTek and UNISOC for more chips to keep its consumer electronics business running despite the Trump administration's threat to block global chip supplies to Huawei. 

Taiwan-based MediaTek, also the chip provider to Korea's Samsung, as well as OPPO, Vivo, and Xiaomi, already delivers mobile chips to Huawei's mid to low-end 4G-capable smartphone. 

Currently, Huawei is pursuing to seal a deal with MediaTek for its mid- to high-end 5G mobile chips. 

Huawei has foreseen this day coming. It started to allocate more mid to low-end mobile chip projects to MediaTek last year amid its de-Americanization efforts, one of the Nikkei's sources said. 

However, the Taiwanese firm has yet to decide as it still studies if it has enough human resources to support Huawei's order, which is 300 percent above its usual procurement. 

Aside from MediaTek, Huawei is also looking at working closely with UNISOC as the latter has been accelerating its 5G chip development to catch up with leading makers Qualcomm and MediaTek. 

This news came almost a week after the US government announced its bold move to cut off the Chinese firm from chip suppliers. 

The Chinese government, on the other hand, would not remain silent as it was already planning to take a series of countermeasures versus the US to protect its companies' legal rights amid the raging trade war. 

Source: Nikkei