Huawei launches new Nova smartphones without giving details on chip, as attention remains fixed on its innovation

The Nova 12 series will run on the latest version of Huawei’s own operating system, HarmonyOS 4
The latest smartphone moves by Huawei have been closely watched after the surprise August launch of the Mate 60 Pro

Huawei

Iris Dengin Shenzhen

Published: 10:00pm, 26 Dec 2023

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Huawei Technologies has launched new smartphone models under its mid-range Nova series without revealing details about the processors inside, with industry attention still on the telecommunications equipment giant’s handset innovation in the wake of its 5G-capable Mate 60 Pro earlier this year.

Huawei launched three new models in its Nova 12 series on Tuesday, including the basic Nova 12, the Nova 12 Ultra and Nova 12 Pro, with prices ranging from 2,999 yuan (US$420) to 5,499 yuan.

The Nova 12 series will run on the latest version of Huawei’s own operating system, HarmonyOS 4, with the company touting satellite connectivity on the two premium models. However, Huawei remained tight-lipped about the processors used to power the new series and its 5G capabilities at the launch event.

Huawei’s official website showed that the models were out of stock within an hour of being available for online pre-orders, which was the same day as the product launch.

The latest smartphone moves by Huawei have been closely watched after the surprise August launch of the Mate 60 Pro, which is powered by a home-grown advanced processor, the Kirin 9000s. This was Huawei’s first 5G smartphone since US trade sanctions barred the firm from accessing advanced American technology.

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The Mate 60 Pro inspired a wave of patriotic fervour among Chinese consumers. An estimate by research firm Canalys put shipments of the Mate 60 series at 2.5 million units by November 7, with the premium Mate 60 Pro making up more than 60 per cent of volume.

The new Nova smartphones are expected to intensify competition in the China market, which has been fierce since Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro and the release of the iPhone 15 in September, followed by Xiaomi’s flagship Mi 14 series model which achieved sales of 1 million units in less than two weeks since its October launch.

China’s smartphone industry has been under pressure in recent years due to weaker consumer demand amid macroeconomic headwinds and Covid-related disruptions. However, it showed signs of recovery in the fourth quarter thanks to excitement around the Mate 60 series and promotions during the November Singles’ Day shopping festival, according to a report released by IDC this month.

Fourth-quarter smartphone shipment volumes in the country are likely to grow for the first time in 10 quarters, the IDC report said.

The world’s largest smartphone market is expected to ship 287 million units in 2024, a 3.6 per cent year on year increase, driven by a slightly improving economy and consumer appetite for better gadgets, according to IDC. It would be the first year-on-year growth in the market since 2021.