Huawei News and Analyses

[TaiShang]

Former Oculus VR head scientist to join Huawei
CRI, January 2, 2017

Steve LaValle, the former chief scientist for Oculus, has confirmed that he will join Huawei as the chief scientist of Virtual, Augmented and Mixed reality - VR/AR/MR - in charge of global research and product development.

China's Huawei, a leading telecom equipment maker based in Shenzhen, is now expanding into the VR/AR markets.

Oculus, a famous VR equipment maker, was acquired by Facebook in 2014.

Steve LaValle started working with Oculus VR in September 2012, and was chief scientist of Oculus till January 2015.

LaValle said Huawei is a global business company, and China's VR/AR market is burgeoning.

Huawei Technologies on Friday said it expects to record a 32 percent jump in revenue for 2016, thanks to a strong performance across its business platforms.

Huawei's rotating chief executive Xu Zhijun forecasts their revenue will reach some 75 billion US dollars in 2016 and will become an even stronger rival to Apple.

 

[TaiShang]

Huawei aims to consolidate LatAm market in 2017

(Xinhua) 11:19, January 20, 2017

Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co. said it hopes to consolidate Latin America as one of its top growth markets, alongside Europe and Asia, as it launched its new smartphone the Mate 9 in Panama on Thursday.

Johanna Escala, Operations Manager for Huawei in Panama, told Xinhua that the company had met its objective of selling 12 million smartphones in Latin America in 2016, 40 percent more than in 2015.

In Panama alone, the growth stood at 25 percent year-on-year.

Escala pointed out that the growth of the brand has been healthy after five years in Panama, especially as it strives to become the top smartphone seller in the country.

As part of this strategy, in 2015, Huawei decided to become a sponsor for the Panama national football team, which has been seeking to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, as well as for the Panamanian Football League.

This has made Panama one of more than 30 sponsorships Huawei maintains in the football world as it also sponsors famous teams such as Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, PSG, BorussiaDortmund, and AC Milan.

In terms of the Mate 9, Escala said it has also been launched in other Central American markets and that Huawei hopes to unveil the Mate 10 there in the second half of 2017.

During the presentation of the Mate 9, Huawei said it could hold an entire day of use with just a 30-minute charge, among a slew of new technologies.

In 2016, Huawei sold over 139 million smartphones worldwide, a 29 percent increase over 2015.

 

[cirr]

SKT tests China’s Huawei LTE equipment amid controversy

Published : 2017-01-22 16:17
Updated : 2017-01-22 18:08

South Korea’s No. 1 mobile carrier SK Telecom has purchased Long Term Evolution network equipment produced by China’s Huawei Technologies for testing before signing a final deal, amid concerns over hacking risks and Korean suppliers losing competitiveness, according to sources Sunday.

An industry source familiar with the matter told The Korea Herald that SKT ordered the Digital Unit and Remote Radio Head, known as DU&RRH in industrial terminology, from Huawei last month to conduct a set of quality tests before signing an official contract. Other industry insiders said it is highly likely that SKT will soon ink a deal with the Chinese company.

(Yonhap)

“SKT seems to have bought the equipment for a development verification test as part of a critical design review,” the source said. “This could signal the imminent introduction of the Chinese network equipment.”

The ongoing test at the SKT building in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, is expected to take about two months, the source said. If the deal is clinched, the Chinese equipment is expected to be used for installation of new LTE base stations in Jeju.

SKT has been considering Huawei as a new supplier in order to install additional LTE base stations since it won the 2.6GHz frequency band in a state-run auction last May. It is the first time for the largest Korean telecommunications provider to consider Huawei’s equipment as the main equipment for a base station. It has been using some Chinese parts for LTE servers. The main equipment for SKT’s LTE base stations have been supplied by Samsung Electronics, Nokia and Ericsson.

SK Telecom employees check an LTE base station in Busan. (Yonhap)

Among the three Korean mobile carriers, LG U+ was the only one to first install Huawei-made LTE equipment in 2013.

At the time, two US Senators -- Dianne Feinstein and Robert Menendez -- who chaired the Senate’s intelligence and foreign affairs committees, warned against the deal between LG U+ and Huawei by sending a letter to the former Obama administration, saying “maintaining the integrity of telecommunications infrastructure” was critical to the alliance between US and Korea.

The US Congress had been objecting to Huawei’s expansion in the US since 2012 due to possible security threats. According to news reports, India, Australia, Taiwan and Canada do not allow use of Huawei equipment, either.

“Installment of the main equipment made by Huawei for SKT’s LTE network could pose threats to the country’s information security,” another industrial source said.

Due to concerns about hacking and espionage risks raised by experts and industry people, LG U+ decided not to install the Chinese equipment near US Army bases in the country. The Huawei equipment are now installed in some areas in Seoul, Gangwon Province and northern Gyeonggi Province.

According to security experts, thorough verification is needed for software installed in telecommunications equipment.

“Technically, by making a back door in the equipment software, hackers could legally compromise the communications network,” a pundit on information security told The Korea Herald. “The company should scrutinize the equipment’s structure, software and patches additionally installed in the equipment.”

Some in the network industry raised questions about the “confidential deal” between SKT and Huawei.

“It was unusual that SKT didn’t open a public bidding for this project,” the source said. “Huawei is said to have proposed a price about half of average prices, appealing to SKT.”

SKT, however, dismissed the source’s claim, saying “Nothing has been confirmed yet.”

“The company is considering Huawei as one of the possible suppliers that sent requests for proposals,” a company spokesman said.

The official stressed Huawei was one of many firms that sent requests for proposals to the company. He added the mobile carrier does not hold open biddings for every single project.

“The test is part of customary and usual procedures that are needed to examine compatibility with other existing equipment,” he said. “It is not right for us to comment on the security issue at the moment, but considering economic feasibility, there is no reason to rule out the Chinese equipment in terms of costs.”

By Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com)

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170122000186

 

[TaiShang]

SKT tests China’s Huawei LTE equipment amid controversy

Published : 2017-01-22 16:17
Updated : 2017-01-22 18:08

South Korea’s No. 1 mobile carrier SK Telecom has purchased Long Term Evolution network equipment produced by China’s Huawei Technologies for testing before signing a final deal, amid concerns over hacking risks and Korean suppliers losing competitiveness, according to sources Sunday.

An industry source familiar with the matter told The Korea Herald that SKT ordered the Digital Unit and Remote Radio Head, known as DU&RRH in industrial terminology, from Huawei last month to conduct a set of quality tests before signing an official contract. Other industry insiders said it is highly likely that SKT will soon ink a deal with the Chinese company.

(Yonhap)

“SKT seems to have bought the equipment for a development verification test as part of a critical design review,” the source said. “This could signal the imminent introduction of the Chinese network equipment.”

The ongoing test at the SKT building in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, is expected to take about two months, the source said. If the deal is clinched, the Chinese equipment is expected to be used for installation of new LTE base stations in Jeju.

SKT has been considering Huawei as a new supplier in order to install additional LTE base stations since it won the 2.6GHz frequency band in a state-run auction last May. It is the first time for the largest Korean telecommunications provider to consider Huawei’s equipment as the main equipment for a base station. It has been using some Chinese parts for LTE servers. The main equipment for SKT’s LTE base stations have been supplied by Samsung Electronics, Nokia and Ericsson.

SK Telecom employees check an LTE base station in Busan. (Yonhap)

Among the three Korean mobile carriers, LG U+ was the only one to first install Huawei-made LTE equipment in 2013.

At the time, two US Senators -- Dianne Feinstein and Robert Menendez -- who chaired the Senate’s intelligence and foreign affairs committees, warned against the deal between LG U+ and Huawei by sending a letter to the former Obama administration, saying “maintaining the integrity of telecommunications infrastructure” was critical to the alliance between US and Korea.

The US Congress had been objecting to Huawei’s expansion in the US since 2012 due to possible security threats. According to news reports, India, Australia, Taiwan and Canada do not allow use of Huawei equipment, either.

“Installment of the main equipment made by Huawei for SKT’s LTE network could pose threats to the country’s information security,” another industrial source said.

Due to concerns about hacking and espionage risks raised by experts and industry people, LG U+ decided not to install the Chinese equipment near US Army bases in the country. The Huawei equipment are now installed in some areas in Seoul, Gangwon Province and northern Gyeonggi Province.

According to security experts, thorough verification is needed for software installed in telecommunications equipment.

“Technically, by making a back door in the equipment software, hackers could legally compromise the communications network,” a pundit on information security told The Korea Herald. “The company should scrutinize the equipment’s structure, software and patches additionally installed in the equipment.”

Some in the network industry raised questions about the “confidential deal” between SKT and Huawei.

“It was unusual that SKT didn’t open a public bidding for this project,” the source said. “Huawei is said to have proposed a price about half of average prices, appealing to SKT.”

SKT, however, dismissed the source’s claim, saying “Nothing has been confirmed yet.”

“The company is considering Huawei as one of the possible suppliers that sent requests for proposals,” a company spokesman said.

The official stressed Huawei was one of many firms that sent requests for proposals to the company. He added the mobile carrier does not hold open biddings for every single project.

“The test is part of customary and usual procedures that are needed to examine compatibility with other existing equipment,” he said. “It is not right for us to comment on the security issue at the moment, but considering economic feasibility, there is no reason to rule out the Chinese equipment in terms of costs.”

By Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com)

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170122000186

If our Korean neighbors are able to get rid of the fearmongering militarized yokes of the Uncle, then, sky is the limit for the cooperation and collaboration between the two historical polities.

 

[TaiShang]

Huawei, Telefonica to build virtual EPC network
Xinhua, February 1, 2017

Spanish and Chinese telecommunication giants Telefonica and Huawei on Monday announced an agreement for the construction of a "large scale" virtual network to provide voice and data in LTE 4G networks in Latin America and Europe.

The agreement covers Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Panama and Uruguay in Latin America, and Spain and Germany in Europe.

Huawei's virtual Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) solution, known as CloudEPC, will allow for greater levels of traffic on a network that is agile and quick to adjust to new demands, while at the same time offering reduced production costs and integration into existing Telefonica networks.

Huawei and Telefonica have been testing the performance of Huawei CloudEPC in Telefonica's NFV Reference Laboratory in Madrid.

"Huawei is leading in the All Cloud strategy which is offered to operators. This Cloud EPC represents an important advance in the route map for the virtualization of Telefonica and strengthens our association as the main provider of EPC to Telefonica."

"We are very satisfied that Telefonica has shown confidence in Huawei and this further strengthens our cooperation," commented Michael Ma, the president of Huawei's Cloud Core Network.

 

[cirr]

Huawei, Orange sign accord on 5G services, cloudification

Xinhua, February 3, 2017

Huawei, Chinese telecoms giant and Orange, French telecommunication group on Thursday signed an agreement to bolster partnership on 5G services and cloudification, the Chinese firm said.

With the new accord, the two companies will cooperate on key technologies related to 5G to "encourage innovation in three areas of 5G services: infrastructure, operations and ecosystem development."

In this context, they will collaborate on mobile network cloudification with open service interfaces, network flow cut and sharing 4G and 5G power in the frequency bands.

In addition, Huawei and Orange will focus on specific use scenarios for 5G such as ultra large coverage in Africa and energy efficiency, the statement added.

"We are pleased to announce this new milestone in our long-term cooperation with the Orange group on mobile technologies and in particular in view of the imminent arrival of 5G," said Zou Zhilei, president of the Huawei Carrier Business Group.

"It also shows our commitment to our best customers to help them build a better connected world," he added.

Alain Maloberti, vice president of Orange Labs Networks, said the accord is a part of plan to face "technological challenges that will make possible the future uses of augmented and virtual reality and ...improve the performance of our mobile network... when it is needed, for our customers in Europe and Africa." Endit

http://china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2017-02/03/content_40211483.htm

 

[艹艹艹]

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1031236.shtml
Huawei, Orange sign accord on 5G services, cloudification
Source:Xinhua Published: 2017/2/3 8:06:15

Huawei, Chinese telecoms giant and Orange, French telecommunication group on Thursday signed an agreement to bolster partnership on 5G services and cloudification, the Chinese firm said.

With the new accord, the two companied will cooperate on key technologies related to 5G to "encourage innovation in three areas of 5G services: infrastructure, operations and ecosystem development."

In this context, they will collaborate on mobile network cloudification with open service interfaces, network flow cut and sharing 4G and 5G power in the frequency bands.

In addition, Huawei and Orange will focus on specific use scenarios for 5G such as ultra large coverage in Africa and energy efficiency, the statement added.

"We are pleased to announce this new milestone in our long-term cooperation with the Orange group on mobile technologies and in particular in view of the imminent arrival of 5G," said Zou Zhilei, president of the Huawei Carrier Business Group.

"It also shows our commitment to our best customers to help them build a better connected world," he added.

Alain Maloberti, vice president of Orange Labs Networks, said the accord is a part of plan to face "technological challenges that will make possible the future uses of augmented and virtual reality and ...improve the performance of our mobile network... when it is needed, for our customers in Europe and Africa."

 

[TaiShang]

Huawei in move to gain 5G edge
China Daily, February 15, 2017

Huawei in move to gain 5G edge [Photo/Xinhua]

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, China's largest telecoms equipment maker, plans to unveil its first batch of 5G-ready products next year, as it strives to gain an edge in the race toward the next-generation mobile communication technology, local media reported.

The Shenzhen-based company said that as the world moves closer to a consensus on 5G standards, it will start shipping 5G products in 2019, according to a report on qq.com, a news portal owned by Tencent Holdings Ltd.

Xu Wenwei, strategic marketing president at Huawei, was quoted as saying that the company "will work with telecoms carriers to create new business models in the 5G era where all things can be connected to the internet".

Huawei did not respond to requests for comment.

In November, polar coding, a technology backed by Huawei, was approved as part of the global standard for 5G.

Lu Zhenwang, CEO of the Shanghai-based Wanqing Consultancy, said the 5G products Huawei plans to unveil next year are highly likely to be able to support the narrowband internet of things, or NB-IoT.

NB-IoT is a technology that enables faster internet connections among devices, but at lower costs than existing bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology.

"We will see a rapid application of NB-IoT technology in the next few years. Huawei will face mounting competition from ZTE Corp and Ericsson AB in this respect," he added.

 

[艹艹艹]

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/ca...awei-philippine-telco-join-forces-in-5g-deal/
China’s Huawei, Philippine telco join forces in 5G deal

AFP
| February 14, 2017

Chinese telecoms behemoth Huawei is the world's number three smartphone maker, operating in 170 countries.

MANILA: Chinese electronics giant Huawei is joining forces with the Philippines’ largest telco in the hopes of rolling out a 5G wireless network in the Asian archipelago by 2020, the Filipino company said Tuesday.

Filipinos are among the world’s most active Internet users, but the country also has one of the slowest average connection speeds.

Smartphone usage is also steadily growing with about 33 million people owning devices according to researchers.

Philippine Long Distance and Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Huawei agreed last month to conduct joint research and development into fifth-generation broadband wireless technology for the Philippines.

“They are one of the companies that are leading in the research and development of 5G technology,” PLDT spokesman Ramon Isberto said about the Chinese firm, adding it is already involved in PLDT’s landline and mobile phone services.

Chinese telecoms behemoth Huawei is the world’s number three smartphone maker, operating in 170 countries.


The company has laid out an ambitious agenda for the US and global markets — hoping to become the top producer of smartphones in the next five years despite controversy over its ties to Beijing.

Ren Zhengfei, a former People’s Liberation Army (PLA) engineer, founded the company in 1987 but his PLA service has led to concerns of close links with the Chinese military and government, which Huawei has consistently denied.

The US and Australia have previously barred Huawei from involvement in broadband projects over espionage fears.

Relations between Manila and Beijing have been rocky amid conflicting claims over the South China Sea and China’s militarisation of the resource-rich waterway.

But under Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who won May elections in a landslide, there has been a warming of bilateral ties as Duterte steers Manila away from the US — its long-time defence treaty partner.

Isberto said controversy over Huawei’s links with the Chinese government was not a concern, stressing that foreign companies only provide technology.

“At the end of the day, we run our networks,” he said.

 

[cirr]

Huawei is said to be developing its own voice assistant

17.02.2017

It looks like we will soon see a new voice assistant that will join the likes of Siri, Google Assistant and Cortana. Huawei is said to be working on its own digital voice assistant according to a latest report from Bloomberg.

The third largest smartphone maker is currently in the early stages of developing the technology with a team of 10 engineers. Initially, Huawei’s assistant will target domestic users and communicate in Chinese languages. However, the company will continue to work with Google and Amazon outside China, as per unnamed sources. Last month, Huawei announced it would use Alexa on its Mate 9 smartphone in the US market.

Adding its own voice assistant will give Huawei leverage in the fiercely competitive Chinese smartphone market. The company was second largest smartphone maker in China in 2016 with 16.4% market share. Huawei is expected to announce P10 smartphone with dual rear camera on February 26 at MWC 2017 in Barcelona.

http://www.fonearena.com/blog/211907/huawei-is-said-to-be-developing-its-own-voice-assistant.html

Huawei is developing its own AI-powered digital assistant in China

BY SUBHROJIT MALLICK

FEB. 16, 2017, 3:31 P.M.

Huawei has employed a team of more than a hundred engineers to work on the technology

The world’s third-largest smartphone is aiming for the moon now. Huawei is investing heavily in research and development to come up with its own voice-powered, AI-infused digital assistant to take on the likes of Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant, Microsoft Cortana and Amazon’s Alexa.

Per a Bloomberg report, Huawei has employed a team of more than a hundred engineers to work on the technology at its offices in Shenzhen, China. The idea is to scale up services in its domestic market, this is China by offering a voice-powered digital assistant in Chinese, something that the other digital-assistant bigshots have not been able to achieve to perfection. Outside China though, Huawei will continue to work with Google Now as well as Amazon’s Alexa as seen in the Huawei Mate 9.

Many of Google’s services are blocked in China. Apple too was involved in a patent infringement case with Zhizhen Network Technology over Apple’s use of its voice-recognition software. It was only in 2015 that Apple won the court case and resumed operations of Siri in China. The Chinese market is already quite crowded and 2017 has been dubbed the year that AI is going to go mainstream. Huawei knows the time is ripe. It’s going for the kill.

Bloomberg had earlier reported that the top Chinese brands- Oppo, Huawei and Vivo are aiming to squeeze out market-share from Apple and Samsung in China. Chinese manufacturers already enjoyed 48 per cent market share in China in 2016 as per IDC while Apple’s shipments in China saw a decline last year.

And it’s not only Apple that might be worried about Huawei’s aggressive plans. With the Huawei Mate 9, Huawei was the first Android-based phone to shift to Amazon’s Alexa. With its own in-house digital assistant, Huawei might also hamper Google’s expansion of its Google Assistant, which is only restricted to its Pixel Phones and Google Home speaker and Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches for now. Google has plans of asking third-party phone makers to get onboard the Google Assistant bandwagon.

Huawei is not the only third-party phone-maker who is developing its own voice-based digital assistant. Samsung last year acquired Viv Labs, the same startup that built Apple’s Siri. There have been multiple reports that the upcoming Galaxy S8 will come with its own AI-powered digital assistant, named Bixby.

http://in.pcmag.com/huawei/112627/news/huawei-is-developing-its-own-ai-powered-digital-assistant-in

 

[TaiShang]

The third largest smartphone maker is currently in the early stages of developing the technology with a team of 10 engineers. Initially, Huawei’s assistant will target domestic users and communicate in Chinese languages.

Huawei wishes to solidify its position in home market as it ventures out the international markets.

Mate and P series are doing revolutionary stuff overseas.

***

10 January, 2017
HUAWEI Mate 9 Wins Eight Awards at CES 2017 Following Entrance to the U.S. Market and Integration with Amazon Alexa

Las Vegas – Jan. 7, 2017 – Top global technology media outlets have recognized Huawei with multiple awards at CES 2017. Following the HUAWEI Mate 9’s global launch in November, Huawei announced availability in the U.S. market and new partnerships with Amazon Alexa and Google Daydream. Highlighting the Mate 9’s new partnerships, power, performance, design and dual-lens camera, global media presented Huawei with eight awards. CES also recognized the HUAWEI MateBook as a CES Innovation Award 2017 Honoree for its impressive design and performance.

In addition to the accolades received at CES, Android Authority named Huawei Manufacturer of the Year, crediting the company’s great devices, business acumen and technological leadership for its breakout success in 2016.

Here are the awards the HUAWEI Mate 9 received at CES 2017:

The Wall Street Journal selected the HUAWEI Mate 9 as one of its ‘Best of CES 2017’ products. The editors highlighted the device’s display, processor, charging capabilities and Leica dual-lens camera. The Wall Street Journal is one of the top publications in the world and considered the most widely-read newspaper in the U.S. business and investment community.

Android Police awarded the HUAWEI Mate 9 the ‘Best of Smartphones’ for its integration with Amazon Alexa, which makes it a standout device at CES. Android Police is a blog dedicated to everything related to Android that is read by Android and technology enthusiasts.

BGR named the HUAWEI Mate 9 a ‘CES 2017 Winner’ because of its display, performance, battery and integration with Amazon Alexa. BGR is a leading online destination for news and commentary focused on the mobile and consumer electronics markets. It attracts readers that are early adopters, savvy technology fans and casual readers.

Chip Chick recognized the HUAWEI Mate 9 as a ‘Top Pick of CES 2017’ following the smartphone’s launch in the U.S. and collaboration with Amazon Alexa. Established in 2004, Chip Chick was one of the first sites to focus on technology for women, offering a lifestyle perspective on the world of consumer electronics.

Talk Android named the HUAWEI Mate 9 a ‘Best of CES 2017’ product, crediting its impressive dual-camera and powerful Kirin 960 chip. Talk Android is a site dedicated to reporting on Android and Google related mobile news. Its content is focused on new handsets, software developments, apps, and everything Android.

TechAdvisor/PC Advisor included the HUAWEI Mate 9 in its CES ‘Top Picks 2017’, highlighting the device’s integration with Amazon Alexa. TechAdvisor/PC Advisor is a leading global consumer technology publication that provides advice to users who want to purchase the best devices at a great value.

TechnoBuffalo awarded the HUAWEI Mate 9 ‘Best of CES 2017’ for its integration with Amazon Alexa, processor, smart app management, battery and beautiful display. TechnoBuffalo covers a wide range of technology-related topics from devices to industry trends. The site provides value to the reader through editorial commentary, descriptive ‘how-to’ guides, and immersive video.

Techaeris included the HUAWEI Mate 9 on its ‘Best of CES 2017’ list due to the device’s powerful Kirin 960 chipset, SuperCharge technology, Leica dual-lens camera and Amazon Alexa integration. Techaeris publishes in-depth stories, news coverage and product information and reviews. It covers everything from technology to science, art, photography and lifestyle.

 

[TaiShang]

Huawei: 'Video on mobile to be the next trillion dollar market'
By Wang Zhiyong - China.org.cn, February 20, 2017

​

On Feb. 13, 2017 in London, Huawei holds a briefing in which Huawei Carrier BG President Zou Zhilei emphasises that video on mobile will be the next trillion dollar market. [Photo by Wang Zhiyong/China.org.cn]

Many industries are now embracing AI, cloud, big data, and IoT through digital transformation and it has become a necessary part of success. Huawei is committed to becoming a partner of operators and an enabler for their digital transformation and business success to jointly achieve value-driven growth.

Zou stated that "By 2025 there will be 100 billion connections globally, 85 percent of all enterprise applications will move to the cloud, 100 percent enterprises will use cloud services, and the penetration rate of industrial intelligence will exceed 20 percent. In a Better Connected World, industries going digital will create limitless opportunities, and how far industries will go in this process is beyond our imaginations.

Zou believes that the strategy of global telecom operators is morphing from being traditionally "investment-driven" to being "value-driven." Huawei is committed to aiding operators attain new growth, achieve better return on investment and increase operating efficiency.

Video will turn into a basic service of operators and video services for entertainment, communications and industry will grow exponentially. Ken Wang, the Global Marketing and Solution Sales President at Huawei Carrier BG stated that "Huawei will team up with operators to embark on the value-driven ROADS (Real-time,On-demand,All-online,DIY,Social) to new growth."

Vertical industries going digital will establish a trillion dollar market for operators and video services for communications, industry and entertainment will grow quickly. Huawei will provide business solutions and explore new business models, especially with operators in the video era.

Huawei will also support operators in the process of aiding vertical enterprises go digital, and also offer cloud services to different parties in order to allow operators to expand their markets and improve profits.

Wang also stated that Huawei will develop All Cloud solutions to allow for the digital transformation and business success of operators. During the MWC 2017, Huawei will reveal a few All Cloud solutions, including Cloud Air/ClourRAN, CloudFAN, CloudMetro and CloudEPN solutions.

The Mobile World Congress 2017 will be held in Barcelona from Feb. 27 – March 2. Huawei will give key note speeches there, as well as host forums and other activities related to "Open ROADS to a Better Connected World – ROADS to New Growth."

Huawei's exhibits will be located at booth 1J50 in Fira Gran Via hall 1, booth 3130 in Hall 3 and the Innovation City Exhibition Zone in Hall 4.

​

Ken Wang, the Global Marketing and Solution Sales President at Huawei Carrier BG states on Feb. 3 in London that "Huawei will team up with operators to embark on the value-driven ROADS." [Photo by Wang Zhiyong/China.org.cn]

On Feb. 13, 2017 in London, Huawei holds a briefing in which Huawei Network Transformation Management Dept Director Dai Libin makes a presentation. [Photo by Wang Zhiyong/China.org.cn]

 

[TaiShang]

Huawei unveils V9 aimed at game lovers
By MA SI | China Daily | Updated: 2017-02-22

Zhao Ming, president of Honor, one of the major brands of Huawei Technologies Co, unveils the new Honor V9 smartphone in Beijing on Tuesday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's third-biggest smartphone maker, unveiled a new handset on Tuesday targeting mobile gaming enthusiasts and virtual reality camera lovers.

The Honor V9 came out as the company's sub-brand Honor said it will focus more on services and new technologies.

That came as the group deals with surging component costs and competes with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in the high-end market.

Honor V9 comes with a 5.7-inch 2K screen. Its vision and sound effects have been optimized for Onmyoji, a popular mobile game developed by NetEase Inc.

Priced from 2,599 yuan ($377) in the Chinese mainland market, the Honor V9 enables consumers to build 3-D digital objects.

Huawei also unveiled a 360-degree panoramic camera that can be attached to Honor V9 to shoot VR videos and pictures.

Zhao Ming, president of Honor, said that although online sales of handsets were slowing down in China, he was still optimistic about China's internet-oriented smartphone brands.

"Our marketing spending is only about one-fourth that of our rivals. We care more about services and new technologies, which will give us an edge," he said.

Xiang Ligang, a smartphone expert and CEO of telecom industry website cctime.com, said that due to the continuing depreciation of the yuan, the cost of smartphone storage, display and chips had all gone up.

James Yan, research director at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said Honor was trying to build up its brand image by striking a balance between quality and price.

 

[TaiShang]

Huawei's snap-on 360 camera will let you livecast in VR

The accessory, teased earlier this week, attaches to the USB port on Honor phones.

February 24, 2017 9:55 AM PST， CNet

Huawei has announced is first 360 degree VR camera, and it's designed as a snap-on add-on to the company's line of Honor phones.

The new product was teased earlier this week in Beijing, according to Insta360, the hardware partner that already produces a variety of similar 360 degree cameras.

The Honor VR Camera will support full wraparound livestreaming and photography. (Read CNET's VR vs. AR vs. 360 video explainer.) The blue spherical accessory, which appears to feature dual lenses, is designed to plug into a phone's USB port.

Pricing and availability have yet to be announced, but we may hear more details at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona: Huawei's press conference is scheduled for Sunday, February 26 at 2 p.m. local time. (That's 8 a.m ET, 5 a.m. PT.)

 

[艹艹艹]

Huawei pushing into NB-IoT through partnerships and research
While Huawei is not aiming to deliver IoT products itself, it is pushing into the market by providing equipment and technologies through its partnerships with businesses and research organisations.


ByCorinne Reichert|February 27, 2017 -- 19:25 GMT (03:25 GMT+08:00)| Topic:Innovation

"What we've got to do in Australia now I think -- and we've been seeking seed funding for this for a while -- is really now starting to put in consolidated money into areas where we see business growth in the future ... it's the Internet of Things, narrowband IoT, projects like South East Water are the future," Lord said.

"We provide the pipe, we provide the equipment, the latest technologies, but we leave the partnership around it to actually deliver the product.

"We think as the new technology rolls out and business gets more into digitalisation and takes up IoT and takes up 5G, that will be more chance for Huawei in Australia."

Huawei, whichunveiled its NB-IoT solutionin July aimed at enabling telecommunications providers to "turn IoT into a basic service", has been providing a data platform for SEW's recent NB-IoT trials.

According to SEW CFO and GM of Corporate and Commercial Philip Johnson, the water utility had decided back in 2015 to take an NB-IoT path for its digitisation process, saying it is all about predicting and preventing things such as blockages before they occur, with NB-IoT enabling a "proactive space".

Also part of SEW's NB-IoT trials in 2016 wereVodafone Australia, which is providing the NB-IoT networkacross Melbourne; three vendors to deploy their NB-IoT smart meters on its network; andMicrosoft's Power BIbusiness intelligence product, which generates dashboards containing the collected data.


Johnson said SEW will be going to tender during 2017 for a pilot of 10,000 to 50,000 devices, but explained that the company's NB-IoT solution is not just about smart metering; its goal is to have 1 million device end points connected eventually, which will be made up of around 800,000 meters and 200,000 detectors in such end points as sewers, manholes, and fire hydrants.

SEW is also looking to implement APIs, like weather data from the Bureau of Meteorology and electricity data to control pricing based on the electricity market, onto its platform.

Andrew Forster-Knight, group manager of Intelligent Systems at SEW, told ZDNet that the company wants an open ecosystem with no vendor lock-in or proprietary systems, which is why it is utilising traditional telecommunications providers for its NB-IoT solution, in addition to servicing the last 5 percent of the population using LoRa technologies.

SEW is also aiming to bring the project down to a household level in order to provide personalised information for customers -- such as information on leaks and blockages that directly affect a particular customer -- and by providing access to exception-based data across smartphones. This will be delivered through an app, possibly by utilising SEW's existing relationship with Salesforce, Forster-Knight told ZDNet.

"Huawei has really been the driving force," Forster-Knight said, adding that the networking giant has been working with vendors behind the scenes to drive the partner ecosystem.

As part of its push into IoT, Huawei is also forming research partnerships across the country.

"We're still working out cooperative research arrangements," Lord said, pointing towards Huawei'sNB-IoT lab openinglast week in Queensland.

As part of this lab, Huawei invested in an IoT degree at James Cook University, with Lord saying it is not necessarily about the students, but rather about the development of NB-IoT apps and raising awareness about IoT opportunities for smart agricultural and farming solutions.

In terms of government involvement, Lord expressed the view that the Australian government is no longer lacking in support for IoT or 5G uptake.

"I would have said about three to six months ago they should have been doing more, but I think that we're now seeing that," Lord told ZDNet.

"I think now you're seeing these bodies form, you're seeing them all get together, you're seeing a 5G coordinating body that will also dispatch with the industry, which we consider is essential ... the Australian government I think is catching up very rapidly.

"The awareness has happened and the government now is really getting active in these areas."

While Telstra is currently partnered with Ericsson on developing and deployingIoTand5Gtechnologies, Lord said Huawei is continuing to "chip away" at Australia's incumbent telecommunications provider in an effort to build partnerships by continuing to offer lucrative technology solutions into the future.

Disclosure: Corinne Reichert attended MWC in Barcelona as a guest of Huawei