"Salute to Huawei" Sparks Patriotic Consumption Wave in China... Apple Faces Potential Negative Impact

Overflow of memes supporting Huawei
Expected sales of at least 7 to 9 million units
Apple's global sales also projected to decline

Huawei, which launched the latest smartphone despite US sanctions, is showing signs of a 'blockbuster surge' in the Chinese market. With patriotic consumption by Chinese consumers adding momentum, it is expected to achieve sales of at least several million units.

According to the Hong Kong media outlet South China Morning Post (SCMP), Huawei plans to expand the inventory of its latest smartphone, the Mate 60 Pro, to over 15 million units. The company expects sales of this smartphone to exceed 7 million units this year.

SCMP reports that the Mate 60 Pro is already regarded in mainland China as a symbol of 'national pride' and a 'champion of domestic technology.' While some consumers previously used other phone models, an increasing number are purchasing Huawei phones as a form of 'patriotic consumption.'

A composite image trending on the Chinese internet. Gina Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, is shown giving a thumbs-up to a Huawei phone, saying, "I am a brand ambassador for Huawei."
[Image source=Weibo]

Online sales channels are also expanding. In the past, Huawei only accepted reservations through its own e-commerce store, but the Mate 60 Pro is now available through third-party channels such as JD.com, Alibaba, and Taobao, with initial sales reportedly sold out.

On local social networking services (SNS) and online communities, various memes featuring the Mate 60 Pro have been created. These include images mocking US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo by photoshopping her picture into Mate 60 Pro advertisements, and videos comparing empty Apple stores with Huawei stores crowded with customers.

Market consulting firm Counterpoint analyzed that the sales volume of the Mate 60 Pro depends on the 'supply chain.'

Huawei replaced the imported restricted advanced components with domestically produced ones. [Image source=YouTube]

Huawei, which is on the US Commerce Department's blacklist, has replaced 90% of the smartphone's components with domestically produced parts. The key issue is whether advanced components that cannot be imported can be mass-produced with stable yields.

Ivan Lam, senior analyst at Counterpoint Hong Kong, estimated, "If supply is smooth, sales will surpass those of the Mate 50, Huawei's previous generation smartphone," adding, "At least 7 to 9 million units can be shipped."

The revival of Huawei phones is expected to negatively impact the performance of Apple, the world's largest smartphone manufacturer.

Market research firm TrendForce estimated in a report on the 10th that iPhone sales this year will decline by 5% compared to last year, ranging from 220 million to 225 million units. TrendForce anticipates that the overall market downturn, along with 'Huawei's comeback,' will directly hit iPhone sales.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.