If everything remains constant, the upcoming mobile processor Kirin chipsets will be the last of its kind. Although it’s been well over a year since the Huawei ban first began, the drama seems to be neverending.
Huawei admitted recently that it will no longer be able to produce its Kirin chipsets, which power all of its major smartphones. With Qualcomm and Samsung unavailable as alternative options due to the ban, it was assumed that Chinese company MediaTek would sell Huawei the silicon it needs.
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The complication with this MediaTek alternative is, on September 15, 2020, the United States will close some loopholes in the ban that would prevent even it from working with Huawei. According to Reuters, MediaTek this week announced that it has formally submitted a request for a license to continue supplying Huawei with chips.
If the Trump administration denies the request, it’s Huawei goes back to square one with no clear way on how to move forward.
Without any processors, Huawei can’t produce smartphones. It can’t produce its own anymore and the only available major company that could produce silicon on the level it needs is MediaTek. If MediaTek doesn’t get its license, there’s no telling what might happen.
MediaTek has also confirmed that it intends to follow the Huawei ban rules. In a statement the company said;
“MediaTek reiterates its respect for following relevant orders and rules on global trade, and has already applied for permission with the US side in accordance with the rules,”
While that statement seems pain, MediaTek and Huawei are both Chinese Asian companies. There is a possibility that they could decide to ignore the ban and work together. After all, it is not likely China would punish either company for doing what it takes to keep the Chinese phone marker afloat.
To be clear this just a prediction, but eventually, something’s gotta give. The United States is tightening the noose on Huawei ever tighter; it’s only a matter of time before something snaps.
