The IT Nerd

Today, Huawei presented its key strategic areas of focus during this challenging time and announced new, cutting-edge products including 16-inch laptops MateBook D 16 & 16s and the latest addition to the audio family of devices, the FreeBuds Pro 2. Huawei also launched the lightest foldable smartphone Mate Xs 2. 

HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2: World’s first Hi-Res Dual Sound System TWS

In the Audio category, Huawei has launched a device that will please all fans of crystal-clear music and voice – FreeBuds Pro 2. The new earbuds stand out with exquisite sound quality achieved thanks to their Dual Sound System. Adopting the integrated two digital-to-analogue converters (DAC) chips and a quad-magnet dynamic driver with advanced digital frequency crossover technology, allowing the device to distinguish between high and low frequencies, coupled with LDAC High-Resolution codec, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 bring the purest sound quality in the industry. Equipped with the industry’s first Triple MIC ANC TWS system that is able to provide 15%  more noise reduction capabilities as compared to the previous model. In certain scenarios, a maximum of 47dB noise reduction depth can be achieved. HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 is also equipped with three dynamic audio listening optimization algorithms which are able to detect changes in volume, differences in ear canal structure and changes in wearing status in real-time. The new earbuds also support Huawei’s All-Scenario Seamless AI Life approach thanks to easy connectivity with any smartphone operating system and great usability in all daily scenarios.

HUAWEI Mate Xs 2: Huawei’s lightest and flattest foldable smartphone

The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is Huawei’s brand-new flagship foldable smartphone with outward folding design and ultra-light, ultra-slim body, marks a milestone in the Huawei’s history, as of this premiere the company owns the most complete portfolio of foldable smartphones, including models with an inner and outer display, and flip phones. When unfolded, the Mate Xs 2’s screen becomes as flat and smooth as a mirror, bringing users a more immersive foldable experience, perfect for both entertainment and work. The smartphone is also equipped with other flagship features, such as a 50MP True-Chroma Camera that supports HUAWEI XD Optics, taking mobile photography to new heights. The new device also dispels the concerns about the unreliable battery in foldable smartphones, boasting a 4600mAh battery, with 66W HUAWEI SuperCharge for ultra-fast charging on the go.

HUAWEI Matebook D 16 & 16s: 16-inch laptop with a traditional 15.6-inch body size for work, study and play

Those of us who work remotely, but miss the traditional office setup with a large monitor, will be pleasantly surprised by the latest additions to Huawei’s laptop portfolio. The company has noticed the consumers’ need for more workspace on their screens, combined with a post-pandemic desire for more flexibility at work, and launched a new product line with a 16-inch FullView display. The HUAWEI MateBook D16 and 16s feature a 16-inch vast display that offers ample space for work and makes managing many tasks at once easy. The MateBook lineup is powered by the 12th Gen Intel® Core™ H- Series Processor with TDP of up to 40W, dual channel RAM and a high-speed solid-state drive, which handles multitasking and complex usage scenarios flawlessly and efficiently, such as data analysis, code compilation, opening multiple webpages, charts, or PowerPoints, allowing users to view content more easily on a larger and taller display area, without the need to compromise on other aspects such as high performance. Moreover, with the D 16 & 16s models, Huawei makes seamless cross-device experiences even more streamlined with multi-device file management and AI search to further enable device collaboration and allow easy file transmission between PC, smartphone, and tablet, breaking the barriers of data sharing between devices. What’s more, users can be productive on the move thanks to the HUAWEI MateBook D 16 & 16s high portability thanks to their light metallic body of weight similar to traditional 15.6-inch laptops.

Availability

HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 and Selected MateBook 16” laptops will be available in Canada soon.

HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is not available in Canada. 

From the “stay out of the US” department comes news that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday has announced visa restrictions on employees of Chinese technology companies, including Huawei, in the latest Trump administration move against Beijing. Here’s what CNN had to say:

The US “will impose visa restrictions on certain employees … of Chinese technology companies like Huawei that provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights violations and abuses globally,” Pompeo told reporters at a State Department press briefing. The top US did not elaborate on which employees would be targeted or how many people would be affected. Pompeo’s announcement comes a day after President Donald Trump announced he would sign a bill and an executive order punishing China for steps that are widely seen as an attempt to crush democratic freedoms in Hong Kong, and railed at China for “unleashing … upon the world” the global coronavirus pandemic. In an interview with The Hill later Wednesday, Pompeo added that the US is looking at limits on other Chinese tech companies as well.

This is likely retaliation for the Chinese government banning a bunch of US Senators because they were critical of China. Clearly things between the US and China are escalating. And I think it’s safe to say that we’re going to see a lot more of this over the next few days.

From the “I didn’t see this coming” department comes this Forbes story that describes how out of favor Chinese telco gear maker Huawei is using the US patent system to fight back against US attempts to freeze it out of the country:

Putting Huawei on the Entity List may have stopped it from licensing critical US technology, but Huawei is seeking to earn revenue in other ways. Huawei filed patent infringement claims against Verizon and also for products Verizon acquires from other US companies such as Cisco and Hewlett-Packard; and Huawei is demanding royalty payments for hundreds of patents. Huawei’s patents may not even be practiced in the firms’ products, but Huawei is allowed to use the legal process to compel court discovery on Verizon’s and its suppliers’ confidential information. Huawei may illegally use this data to enrich Huawei’s knowledge of competitors’ products and technology. 

Well, that’s pretty crafty and it is certain that the White House had not considered this possibility. You have to wonder what’s next from Huawei seeing as the metaphorical noose is tightening around it at the moment.

Earlier this year, the UK had allowed beleaguered Chinese telco maker Huawei into a portion of their 5G network. This seriously ticked off the US and made the UK do a rethink.

Well the rethink is done and Huawei is out…. In more ways than one. Here’s the details from the BBC:

The UK’s mobile providers are being banned from buying new Huawei 5G equipment after 31 December, and they must also remove all the Chinese firm’s 5G kit from their networks by 2027.

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden told the House of Commons of the decision.

It follows sanctions imposed by Washington, which claims the firm poses a national security threat – something Huawei denies.

Mr Dowden said the move would delay the country’s 5G rollout by a year.

“This has not been an easy decision, but it is the right one for the UK telecoms networks, for our national security and our economy, both now and indeed in the long run,” he said.

Because the US sanctions only affect future equipment, the government does not believe there is a security justification for removing 2G, 3G and 4G equipment supplied by Huawei.

New restrictions are also being applied to use of the company’s broadband kit.

The government wants operators to “transition away” from purchasing new Huawei equipment for use in the full-fibre network.

Mr Dowden said he expected this to happen within two years.

So let’s recap:

1. UK telcos aren’t allowed to buy Huawei gear.
2. UK telcos have to rip out existing Huawei gear.
3. UK broadband providers can’t use their gear.

UK telcos are warning that bad things could happen to customers:

BT and Vodafone had warned that customers could face mobile blackouts if they were forced to remove all of Huawei’s 5G kit in less time.

Somehow, I suspect if the UK government is breathing down their necks, UK telcos will get this gear out without any disruptions.

Now Huawei isn’t happy about this according to CNBC:

Tuesday’s decision is a significant blow to Huawei, which had been ramping up its investment into the U.K. with a new research and development center in Cambridge, England, and a push for developers at the start of the year to help it build an alternative to Google’s Play app store. Huawei was cut off from licensed Google software last year due to U.S. trade measures.

“This disappointing decision is bad news for anyone in the U.K. with a mobile phone,” Ed Brewster, a spokesperson for Huawei U.K., told CNBC. “It threatens to move Britain into the digital slow lane, push up bills and deepen the digital divide.”

Huawei urged the government to reconsider the move, adding it was “confident” the new U.S. restrictions “would not have affected the resilience or security of the products we supply.” The firm “will conduct a detailed review” of what the decision means for its business in the country, said Brewster.

And China to nobody’s surprise is not happy to say the least:

Huawei denies it has ever been asked to engage in any spying on behalf of the Chinese state, while Beijing itself says Johnson’s decision will be an acid test of the Sino-British relationship that had developed under David Cameron.

I think that’s code that China will hit back in some way. Given that the China/UK relationship is under stress because of the new security law in Hong Kong, I suspect that this will escalate tensions between the two countries.

There’s a secondary question. Now that the UK has punted Huawei from their 5G network, is Canada next? Canada has avoided making a decision on Huawei, even though the big three telcos in Canada have committed to not buying their gear. While it is true that the are other factors at play here including the detention of Meng Wanzhou who is the Huawei CFO by Canada, and the retaliation of China by essentially holding two Canadians hostage, there’s one fact that can’t be ignored. Canada is part of the “Five Eyes” intelligence network. And Canada is the only member of this network that hasn’t banned Huawei. I would expect that pressure on Canada is about to ramp up. And Canada will have to make a decision on Huawei sooner rather than later.

US Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo paid a visit to London today. And according to The Guardian he had this message for the UK:

The depth of American opposition to the UK granting the Chinese telecoms firm Huawei access to its 5G network has been underlined as the US secretary of state said the Chinese Communist party represented the central threat of our times, and had front-door access to Huawei systems.

He said the US would try to work through its differences with the UK decision announced this week but stressed the US would never permit its national security information to go across networks in which it did not have confidence.

Clearly this decision by the UK to sort of let Huawei into their 5G network has rattled the US. But not enough to cut the UK off from intel just yet:

Asked if the US would reduce intelligence sharing with the UK due to the Huawei access to the UK network, Pompeo said: “We will never permit American international security information to go across a network that we don’t have trust and confidence in.

“That’s the standard, whether it is a Microsoft system, it is the same whether it is a Ericsson, a Nokia system, that’s the standard if it is a Chinese system.

“We will work with our UK counterparts, and I know the Australians, the New Zealanders, all others in the ‘five eyes’, will work together to ensure the systems are sufficiently secure and they are going to deliver the outcomes we need them to deliver, and that we have only a level of risk in the system that we find tolerable.

“I’m sure that we will protect American information to that standard.”

They way I read this, the US is going to try and talk the UK out of letting Huawei in. My question is, will the UK blow the US off or fold up like a cheap suit? This should be interesting to watch.

It seems that despite the spying claims from the Germans, Huawei is apparently going to get some access to EU 5G networks. From the CBC:

The European Union unveiled security guidelines for next generation high-speed wireless networks that stop short of banning Huawei, in the latest setback for the United States’ campaign against the Chinese tech company.

The EU’s executive Commission on Wednesday outlined a set of strategic and technical measures aimed at reducing cybersecurity risks from fifth-generation, or 5G, mobile networks. The recommendations include blocking high-risk equipment suppliers from “critical and sensitive” parts of the network, including the core, which keeps track of data and authenticates smartphones on the network.

No companies were mentioned by name but the term “high risk” supplier was an obvious reference to Huawei, the world’s top maker of networking gear such as switches and antennas.

This is similar to what the UK did with Huawei yesterday. And it is likely to put even more pressure on Canada to make a decision on Huawei. Let’s see how fast that decision comes. And what that decision looks like.

Just a day after getting a win, Huawei is back in the news for all the wrong reasons. The German government is in possession of evidence that Huawei, the leading maker of telecoms network equipment, has collaborated with Chinese intelligence, the Handelsblatt daily reported on Wednesday. Something that the teclo gear maker denies:

Huawei [HWT.UL], the leading maker of telecoms network equipment, denied a newspaper report on Wednesday that alleged the German government was in possession of evidence that it had cooperated with Chinese intelligence.

“Huawei Technologies has never, and will never, do anything to compromise the security of networks and data of its customers,” the Chinese company said in response to the report in the Handelsblatt business daily.

“The Handelsblatt article repeats old, unfounded allegations without providing any concrete evidence whatsoever.”

This is what Handelsblatt said:

The Handelsblatt report cited a confidential foreign ministry document that intelligence shared by U.S. officials represented a “smoking gun” that meant Chinese companies were unsafe partners for building next-generation 5G mobile networks.

“At the end of 2019, intelligence was passed to us by the U.S., according to which Huawei is proven to have been cooperating with China’s security authorities,” the newspaper cited the document as saying.

This is sure to muddy the waters further. Is Huawei an agent for Chinese intelligence? Are the issues with Huawei overblown? At this point it isn’t clear and the only thing that will make it clear are facts. Something that seems to be in short supply at the moment when it comes to Huawei.

Today it was announced that the UK would allow gear from Chinese telco gear maker Huawei onto their 5G network. From the CBC:

Britain will allow Chinese telecom giant Huawei a limited role in building its 5G networks, the government said on Tuesday.

It said high-risk vendors would be excluded from the sensitive core of networks, and there would be a 35 per cent cap on their involvement in the non-sensitive parts.

The U.K. faced opposing pressures from the United States and China on the eve of Brexit.

The United States had wanted U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ban Huawei completely, arguing that Beijing could use the company’s equipment to steal Western secrets. Huawei has denied any involvement in espionage. 

Beijing had warned that blocking the company would hurt Chinese investment.

You can bet that US president Donald Trump will ratchet up the Twitter machine to complain about this. For fun I checked his Twitter feed and saw nothing related to this. That may be due to the fact that he has impeachment other issues at the moment. But you know the Tweetstorm is coming.

That begs the question. What about Canada? A decision on Huawei participating in Canada’s 5G network has been pending for a while now. Now that the UK has jumped aboard the Huawei train, does that mean that Canada will be next? Or will they toe the line that the US wants them to toe? It will be interesting to see which way they go.