A new Kirin chipset was rumored to be introduced by Huawei later in the year when it unveiled its P70 flagship series. While that might still be true, the company could use some of its Kirin 9000S supply for one model, which may not sit well with everyone.
Only the base P70 will be treated to the Kirin 9000S, P70 Pro, and P70 Art, rumored to sport the improved SoC
To refresh your memory, Huawei is said to introduce the P70, P70 Pro and the P70 Art as part of its first flagship series launch, which will likely be followed by the Mate 70 family. Not all P70 models will feature the new Kirin 9010 because, according to Smart Pikachu on Weibo, the Kirin 9000S is still being tested for the base model. Customers who have already purchased any of the Mate 60 models will see little encouragement in picking up the standard P70, so they will likely focus on the higher-end versions this year.
The tipster has not clarified why Huawei would make this decision, but it could have to do with the limited supply of the Kirin 9010. As most of you know, the former Chinese giant relies on SMIC, China’s largest semiconductor manufacturing firm, to provide it with a steady supply of Kirin 9000S shipments fabricated on the 7nm process. Unfortunately, SMIC produces these chips on older-generation DUV machinery, making the process immensely time-consuming and expensive while also producing lower yields.
Fewer ‘clean’ wafers on the 7nm DUV lithography might be the reason why Huawei may have a scarce supply of Kirin 9010 SoCs for the P70 Pro and P70 Art, leaving the company with little choice but to use the Kirin 9000S for the standard P70. Depending on how competitively Huawei prices the base model, there might still be a silver lining in all of this. After all, the Kirin 9000S should be less costly to produce compared to the Kirin 9010, which can end up favoring the company as it aims to reach an estimated 100 million smartphone shipments in 2024.
News Source: Weibo
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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