- Record investments in R&D lead to game-changing secure and intelligent products gaining popularity around the world
Beirut, Lebanon —December 12, 2018— Huawei, the iconic global tech brand, consolidated its position as an international leader in tech innovation by retaining its position as the world’s second largest smartphone vendor in Q3, according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly[i] Mobile Phone Tracker. Leading the innovation space in the technology industry, Huawei ranked the 6th biggest spender in R&D globally, with $45 billion spent over the last 10 years and a whopping $13.23 billion last year only.
Consumers in the MEA region have embraced Huawei’s devices that embed innovation into their DNA and are designed to incorporate future technologies operating within a highly secure and stable ecosystem.
With 14 R&D centers, 36 joint innovation centers and 45 training centers around the world, Huawei’s commitment to R&D has enabled it to emerge as a leader that prioritizes safety and security of its users and introduce In-Device Artificial Intelligence chipsets in the industry. With the growing demand and presence of AI technology cutting across various sectors, AI-powered devices are increasingly dominating the tech landscape as they promise faster response times, efficient operations and unparalleled visual results. To this end, Huawei introduced in 2018 the Kirin 980, the first 7nm mobile AI chip, through the launch of the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro, which is the ultimate engine to power next-generation productivity and entertainment applications designed to bring cutting-edge raw performance to consumers.
This year, with the launch of its flagship smartphone, the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro, Huawei has enjoyed incredible success since the phone was sold out during its pre-order stage before it even hit the shelves. Thanks to its extraordinary new features such as the revolutionary matrix camera system with the world’s first ultra-wide angle Leica triple camera, 2.5 cm Leica macro shots, a long-lasting battery and the trailblazing reverse charging feature. The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro also pioneered a new era of AI powered smartphone cinematography with its unique AI Portrait Color video mode.
Huawei is the fastest growing smartphone brand in the MEA region. Furthermore, according to the Growth from Knowledge (GFK) August 2018 report, Huawei CBG’s market share in the region was 21.5% – cementing its position as the second smartphone vendor in the Middle East and Africa region. Huawei ranks 79 globally in the Forbes Most Valuable Brands in the World list, representing Chinese innovation, leadership and success.
With its pioneering technology, delivering On-Device Artificial Intelligence, Huawei CBG is shaping the future of smartphones as intelligent tools that understand users and help them develop more meaningful ways to stay connected. Its game-changing technology offers an advanced and powerful system designed to deliver unparalleled next-generation smartphone innovation for the consumers of today and allows them to fully immerse themselves in today’s dynamic digital world.
Through its heavy investments and commitment to innovation, Huawei has shifted from smartphones to the intelligent phones by developing components and technologies that power AI computing and offer a significantly faster intelligent experience within a highly secure and stable ecosystem for consumers in the region.
About Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG)
Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) is one of Huawei’s three business groups, providing a range of products including mobile phones, wearables, tablets and laptops. Huawei’s products and services are available in more than 170 countries, and are used by a third of the world’s population, ranking second in the world in mobile phone shipments in 2018.
In 2018, Huawei was named number 48 on BrandZ’s Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands and number 79 in Forbes World’s Most Valuable Brands. Huawei spent US$13.23 billion on R&D in 2017, accounting for 14.9 percent of its total revenue. Its overseas brand consideration increased from 37% in 2016 to 44% in 2017. According to EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard (2017): Huawei’s R&D investment ranked No.6.
As a leading technology company, Huawei invests a significant amount of its annual sales revenue to research and development efforts, and has established 14 research centers around the world. Among these facilities is the Huawei Aesthetics Research Center in Paris. Huawei’s newest R&D center is the Max Berek Innovation Lab in Wetzler, Germany, where Huawei and Leica are jointly researching technologies to improve mobile device camera and image quality.