Huawei To Launch Mate 9 In The US, Mobile Carriers Continue To Shun The Chinese Company

By Precious Gem de Peralta
Huawei Mate 9 Porsche Design
Huawei's new flagship device Mate 9 is set to be released in US. Though it might be only available through retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart. This is as US mobile carriers continue to shun the Chinese company. Vernon Chan via Flickr

Electronics company Huawei is looking to expand its market in the US. The Chinese manufacturer is set to launch its high-end Mate 9 smartphone though there's no given release date yet. However, Huawei may still have to win over US Mobile carriers. Their flagship device is expected to be available only through retailers.

Though Huawei is enjoying a growing success globally, it is yet to break into the market in the US. It seems that its biggest obstacle is the lack of support from US mobile carriers. The company has not overcome the challenge of their planned expansion in the country. Their latest high-end smartphone Mate 9 might be sold instead through US retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart, according to the Digital Trends.

Huawei has not announced the price of the device and its release date in the US. It will be sold in Europe for €699. That amounts to $760 USD, according to the International Business Times. Considering that mobile carriers actually distribute over 80 percent of smartphones in the US, Huawei needs to win over them. The Chinese smartphone maker lags behind Samsung and Apple in terms of shipments.

The Wall Street Journal reported that there are reasons why mobile carriers continue to shun Huawei. It does not have the same high brand recognition as other more popular smartphones in the country. The second being, there are security concerns regarding their networking equipment. In fact, the latter was even discussed by the US Congress back in 2012. Apparently, the network equipment might have been compromised. The Chinese government was probably using it to spy on American citizens. Hence, the US Congress advised the carriers to not utilize Huawei's network equipment. Such accusation was denied by the company.

Until to this day, the damage is enough for carriers to not sell Huawei devices. The International Business Times further reported that Huawei's mobile chips don't comply with Verizon and Sprint's cellular standard. Both of which "do not see much reason to add Huawei's phone to their roster of devices", according to the Digital Trends. As for T-Mobile, Huawei is involved in a patent dispute with the mobile carrier. The company's last saving grace is AT&T. It remains to be seen if Huawei can actually struck a good deal.

For Huawei to topple over Samsung and Apple in the smartphone market, it has to be successful in the US. But that is not easy as many Americans are loyal customers of the world's two biggest smartphone makers. Its own high-end and expensive Mate 9 has to compete against the iPhone 7 and Samsung Galaxy S7. It will be a tough mountain to climb as the two tech companies are set to launch their next flagship devices next year.

  • ‘Wang Mingdao’s Diary’ reproduction highlights complexities of contemporary Chinese Christianity

    On December 9, the China Graduate School of Theology (中国神学研究院) hosted a public lecture titled “A Courageous Witness in the Times—Launch of Wang Mingdao (王明道)’s Diary.” The lecture, themed “Faith Patterns in Beijing’s Christian Churches Through the Lens of Wang Mingdao’s Diary,” featured Dr. Ni Buxiao (倪步晓), Associate Director and Assistant Professor at the Christian Faith and Chinese Culture Research Center of Alliance Bible Seminary (建道神学院), as the keynote speaker.

  • Floating library ‘Doulos Hope’ arrives in Taiwan; spreading love and hope from a former cruise ship

    Doulos Hope, the international floating book fair ship, has returned to Taiwan and is now docked at Kaohsiung Port, open to the public from December 18, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Originally built in 1991 and renovated in 2022, the ship features over 2,000 books on various topics, including faith, science, and art. It is operated by a diverse crew of 140 volunteers from 25 countries, offering services such as education, healthcare, and community outreach. The ship's mission is to spread hope and

  • Chinese Online School of Theology publishes annual ministry report: Expanding Chinese theological education through new strategies

    In the 2023-2024 academic year, New York-based Chinese Online School of Theology (COST) has seen significant development in expanding its ministry in theological education and mission outreach. They have promoted a series of new events and projects to explore different strategies that expand theological education for Chinese ministers. The following are some highlights from the 2023-2024 annual report:

  • Dr. Fenggang Yang: How foreign forces transformed traditional Chinese legal systems

    In a recent lecture to Chinese Christians, scholar Dr. Fenggang Yang (杨凤岗) gave an in-depth analysis of the historical evolution and contemporary significance of the modern legal system in Chinese society. He explored the tensions and integrations between traditional law and modern rule of law, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of China’s traditional legal system and emphasizing the role of foreign influences in introducing modern legal practices into Chinese society.

Top Stories