https://www.scmp.com/rss/127/feed Smartphones have their own mobile operating system. The first smartphone to find a widespread market was the Blackberry, but that quickly lost ground after Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007. That was followed by smartphones powered by Google’s Android mobile operating system. For more smartphone related news check out: https://www.abacusnews.com/topics/smartphones en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Wency Chen Wency Chen Xiaomi has raised prices on several smartphone models, joining a broader wave of increases across China’s handset makers as surging memory chip costs ripple through the global consumer electronics supply chain. The company said on Friday that prices for three models would rise by about 200 yuan (US$29), with the adjustments taking effect next Saturday. The move follows similar increases by domestic peers including Oppo, Vivo and Honor in March. Xiaomi attributed the hike to “continued sharp... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348944/xiaomi-lifts-handset-prices-memory-chip-crunch-ripples-through-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348944/xiaomi-lifts-handset-prices-memory-chip-crunch-ripples-through-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:00:13 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Huawei Technologies maintained “steady” recovery momentum in 2025, with its profit rising 8.6 per cent, as the Chinese telecommunications gear maker doubled down on chip development and smartphones in defiance of US sanctions. Net profit came in at 68 billion yuan (US$9.8 billion) last year, compared with 62.6 billion yuan a year earlier, according to the Shenzhen-based company’s annual report released on Tuesday. Total revenue in 2025 reached 880.9 billion yuan, up 2.2 per cent from 862.1... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3348558/huaweis-profit-rises-86-2025-overall-performance-remains-steady?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3348558/huaweis-profit-rises-86-2025-overall-performance-remains-steady?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Apple’s accidental roll-out on Tuesday of its highly anticipated Apple Intelligence feature in mainland China – which has yet to receive regulatory approval – before swiftly pulling it could raise the ire of regulators and expose the US tech giant to potential penalties, an industry expert warned. The brief release could have violated local rules on artificial intelligence security evaluations, algorithm filings and data protection, according to You Yunting, a Shanghai-based intellectual... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3348527/apples-accidental-ai-feature-roll-out-china-risks-regulatory-backlash-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3348527/apples-accidental-ai-feature-roll-out-china-risks-regulatory-backlash-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:00:39 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Rising memory-chip costs could reshape the smartphone industry, said Xiaomi president William Lu Weibing, after weak smartphone sales cut into the firm’s fourth-quarter profit. Memory prices were surging at a magnitude “beyond imagination”, drawing smartphone makers into a long-term price-raising cycle, Lu said on an earnings call on Tuesday. “When the price-raising cycle ends, some players may suffer significant losses or even face closure,” he said, without elaborating. However, the challenge... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3347728/xiaomi-profit-drops-27-weaker-smartphone-sales-chinese-firms-ev-growth-slows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3347728/xiaomi-profit-drops-27-weaker-smartphone-sales-chinese-firms-ev-growth-slows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:27:27 +0000 Ambuj Sahu Ambuj Sahu In April 2020, as the world struggled with the Covid-19 pandemic and soldiers from India and China moved towards a large-scale border stand-off, New Delhi amended its foreign direct investment (FDI) policy to require prior government approval for all investments from countries sharing a land border with India – a measure directed at China. Nearly six years on, India has changed its FDI policy again. It is a significant move for India-China relations. During the pandemic, the FDI regulation... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346614/indias-reopening-chinese-investment-reflects-strategic-pragmatism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346614/indias-reopening-chinese-investment-reflects-strategic-pragmatism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese smartphone maker Oppo is mounting a fresh challenge in the foldable handset market after launching the latest product in its Find N series, as the industry faces rising memory prices and anticipation builds around Apple’s foldable iPhone. Find N6, launched globally on Tuesday, featured upgraded hinge technology designed to make the crease on the foldable screen “virtually imperceptible”, according to the company. “While foldables offer the advantage of a larger display, the crease has... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346829/chinas-oppo-doubles-down-foldable-smartphones-potential-apple-entry-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346829/chinas-oppo-doubles-down-foldable-smartphones-potential-apple-entry-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chinese smartphone maker Vivo on Monday said it will increase handset prices, citing surging semiconductor and memory costs, joining peers such as Oppo and Honor. Vivo, along with its sub-brand iQOO, will adjust prices from Wednesday, though the scale has not yet been disclosed. The move came in response to the “continued sharp rise in global semiconductor and memory costs”, the company said. Last week, Oppo said it would adjust prices, with the new pricing taking effect on Monday. “We... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346758/chinese-smartphone-makers-vivo-oppo-raise-prices-memory-costs-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346758/chinese-smartphone-makers-vivo-oppo-raise-prices-memory-costs-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:30:08 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng The mobile industry buzzed with excitement over the artificial intelligence revolution showcased at MWC Barcelona 2026, but the optimism was overshadowed by the Middle East crisis and a memory crunch that could reshape the global smartphone supply chain. The AI showcase drew a large crowd, including King Felipe VI of Spain, to the booth of Chinese smartphone maker Honor, which displayed its “Robot Phone” with a built-in camera gimbal designed to become a companion to users. “This brings a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3345760/middle-east-crisis-global-memory-crunch-dim-ai-smartphone-buzz-mwc-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3345760/middle-east-crisis-global-memory-crunch-dim-ai-smartphone-buzz-mwc-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service At the dawn of 2026, social media influencers proclaimed it the year of the “analogue lifestyle”, a call to reduce digital connectivity as smart tech and screen time dominate a person’s attention span. Selly Tan, an influencer from California, says people are “craving something real again” and vowed to print her photos, read more books and magazines, and take up hobbies that do not need Wi-fi. Rosie Okatcha, an influencer from the United Kingdom, proclaimed the year would be “The Age of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3345536/craving-something-real-why-people-are-going-analogue-and-cutting-digital-use?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3345536/craving-something-real-why-people-are-going-analogue-and-cutting-digital-use?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 03:15:07 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng The iPhone 17e, the entry-level addition to Apple’s latest iPhone 17 series, faces an uphill battle in China’s highly competitive smartphone market, according to analysts, as presales for the new handset start on Wednesday. The new budget-priced iPhone “lacks competitiveness”, said IDC China research manager Guo Tianxiang, who pointed out that the handset “still uses outdated moulds, with the chip being the only major upgrade”. “The shortcomings in imaging and display persist, making its overall... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3345273/will-apples-budget-priced-iphone-17e-make-splash-chinas-tough-smartphone-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3345273/will-apples-budget-priced-iphone-17e-make-splash-chinas-tough-smartphone-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters South Korea will soon no longer be one of the few countries where Google Maps does not work properly, after its security-conscious government reversed a two-decade stance to approve the export of high-precision map data to overseas servers. The approval was made “on the condition that strict security requirements are met”, the ‌Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement. Those conditions include blurring military and other sensitive security-related facilities, as well as... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345293/south-korea-finally-get-fully-functioning-google-maps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345293/south-korea-finally-get-fully-functioning-google-maps?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:44:24 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese smartphone maker Honor has unveiled a “robot phone” and its first humanoid assistant ahead of MWC Barcelona, alongside its latest foldable handset, in an aggressive bet on artificial intelligence-powered hardware to stand out in the fierce Android competition. Honor’s AI Robot Phone, which featured a motorised, three-axis gimbal arm, could track motion and interact with users through camera movement, the company said in a preview of the handset on Sunday in Barcelona. The camera arm and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345042/chinas-honor-debuts-robot-phone-and-humanoid-companion-push-ai-hardware?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345042/chinas-honor-debuts-robot-phone-and-humanoid-companion-push-ai-hardware?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 13:01:07 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has stepped up its overseas expansion with the global launch of its flagship Xiaomi 17 series in Barcelona, in its latest effort to challenge Apple and Samsung in the premium segment. The launch event, held on Saturday ahead of MWC Barcelona, marked the overseas release of Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra, months after the company launched the Xiaomi 17 series domestically. As with the domestic versions, both models are powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345016/chinas-xiaomi-launches-premium-smartphone-17-series-globally-challenge-apple-samsung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345016/chinas-xiaomi-launches-premium-smartphone-17-series-globally-challenge-apple-samsung?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese smartphone makers are set to introduce their latest handsets at MWC Barcelona, as the mobile industry navigates an ongoing memory crunch and a pivot to artificial intelligence. Some Android phone makers are also expected to showcase experimental robots and other AI devices at the annual trade show formerly known as Mobile World Congress, which will run from March 2 to 5. Honor, an independent brand formerly under Huawei Technologies, will unveil more details about its highly anticipated... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344960/mwc-2026-chinese-smartphone-makers-bet-pivot-ai-weather-memory-chip-crunch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344960/mwc-2026-chinese-smartphone-makers-bet-pivot-ai-weather-memory-chip-crunch?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Huawei Technologies is aiming for a major international comeback, with the overseas release of its latest flagship smartphone, the Mate 80 Pro, alongside a new smartwatch and the addition of a “wheelchair mode” to its wearable devices. Powered by the company’s self-designed, China-made Kirin 9030 Pro processor, the overseas version of its Mate 80 Pro handsets will run on the Android-based EMUI 15 operating system, Huawei announced at a launch event in Madrid, Spain, on Thursday. While the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344774/huawei-targets-global-comeback-mate-80-pro-smartphone-new-smartwatch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344774/huawei-targets-global-comeback-mate-80-pro-smartphone-new-smartwatch?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:01:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen The artificial intelligence boom has swept through consumer electronics – from smart wearables and AI-powered home devices to voice-interactive toys and robotic pets – but its most significant impact may be on the interface itself. Technology is moving off the screen and onto the face, with smart glasses increasingly seen as the next frontier. “The next interaction revolution will happen right in front of our eyes – driven by AI agents and the inevitable miniaturisation of hardware,” said Wu... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344101/next-interface-race-how-ai-bringing-smart-glasses-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344101/next-interface-race-how-ai-bringing-smart-glasses-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 06:38:47 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen The US State Department will subsidise companies to roll out cheap smartphones running American software in the Indo-Pacific region, part of its “Pax Silica” initiative that seeks to shore up the resilience of the US artificial intelligence supply chain and win the AI race with China. The US has launched the Edge AI Package, which provides up to US$200 million of funding for mobile network operators and smartphone vendors to deploy “low-cost, high-performance” handsets in some partner nations in... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3344055/washington-offers-us200-million-boost-american-smartphone-industry-indo-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3344055/washington-offers-us200-million-boost-american-smartphone-industry-indo-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 23:23:13 +0000 Raymond Ma Raymond Ma Subscribers: The Daily Pulse will not be published from February 16 to 19 as China celebrates Lunar New Year. We will resume publication on Friday, February 20. Kung hei fat choi! A global shortage of memory chips that has seen prices for makers of consumer devices rise by more than 600 per cent in a year is likely to be prolonged, China’s Lenovo Group, the world’s biggest personal computer producer, warned this week. The shortage, driven by demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centres,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3343439/memory-prices-surge-trade-truce-extension-year-horse-gallops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3343439/memory-prices-surge-trade-truce-extension-year-horse-gallops?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao A global memory supply shock is sweeping through the electronics industry, as surging component costs threaten to squeeze China’s smartphone and broadband equipment manufacturers. New data from TrendForce and Counterpoint Research point to mounting risks across the consumer electronics supply chain, with memory prices soaring amid a supply crunch driven by relentless demand from artificial intelligence data centres. Prices for memory used in consumer devices – from PCs and entry-level... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343321/memory-price-surge-more-600-squeezes-chinas-device-makers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343321/memory-price-surge-more-600-squeezes-chinas-device-makers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Lenovo Group, the world’s largest personal computer (PC) maker, warned of the “prolonged impact” of a global memory crunch after reporting a 21 per cent profit drop in the December quarter, while pinning hopes on a shift to artificial intelligence-powered devices to drive growth. “This structural imbalance between supply and demand [for memory chips] is not simply a short-term fluctuation,” Yang Yuanqing, chairman and CEO, said on Thursday after the earnings release. “It is likely to have a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343355/chinas-lenovo-warns-prolonged-memory-crunch-looks-ai-rebound?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343355/chinas-lenovo-warns-prolonged-memory-crunch-looks-ai-rebound?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:14:40 +0000 Ann Cao,Iris Deng Ann Cao,Iris Deng In the world’s biggest wholesale electronics marketplace in the bustling Huaqiangbei district of the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen, memory is the new gold. On a Tuesday in January, a merchant surnamed Ye held up a list of prices that looked more appropriate for luxury goods than humble computer parts. A pair of 32-gigabyte, 6000-megahertz Double Data Rate 5 (DDR5) memory sticks was priced at 6,878 yuan (US$990) – having shot up nearly fivefold since September. “In my over 10 years in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341762/how-hair-raising-prices-memory-chips-could-take-chinas-top-makers-new-heights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341762/how-hair-raising-prices-memory-chips-could-take-chinas-top-makers-new-heights?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Ann Cao,Iris Deng Ann Cao,Iris Deng China has emerged as the brightest spot in Apple’s quarterly earnings, as the US tech giant achieved record iPhone revenue in the world’s largest smartphone market. Revenue in Apple’s Greater China region, which comprises mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, surged 38 per cent from a year earlier in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, which ended December 27, the Cupertino-based company said on Friday. That growth, more than double the company’s overall 16 per cent quarterly revenue increase,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341841/china-gives-apple-best-iphone-quarter-history-38-revenue-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341841/china-gives-apple-best-iphone-quarter-history-38-revenue-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:00:25 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang US tech giant Apple is offering discounts of up to 1,000 yuan (US$144) on selected products to customers in mainland China, the latest promotion from the iPhone maker ahead of an expected holiday shopping wave and heightened competition from local rivals. Promoted as a limited-time Lunar New Year offer, Apple said buyers of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus from its mainland China website and official stores between January 24 and 27 would receive the discounts, which also applied to some MacBook,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340838/apple-slashes-prices-lunar-new-year-competition-heats-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340838/apple-slashes-prices-lunar-new-year-competition-heats-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:01:00 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese smartphone makers are bearing the brunt of a global memory crunch, slashing their 2026 shipment targets by tens of millions of units, according to industry supply chain sources. Beijing-based smartphone and electric vehicle giant Xiaomi cut its latest shipment forecast for the year by between 10 and 70 million units in its guidance for upstream suppliers, a source said. This follows a target of 180 million units the company had set in the fourth quarter of last year, the source... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340567/chinas-xiaomi-transsion-slash-2026-smartphone-shipments-memory-crunch-bites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340567/chinas-xiaomi-transsion-slash-2026-smartphone-shipments-memory-crunch-bites?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:15:13 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Huawei Technologies edged out Apple to reclaim the No 1 spot in mainland China’s smartphone market in 2025, a new report showed, as the domestic handset maker overcame crippling US sanctions. For the full year, Huawei captured 16.4 per cent of China’s smartphone market with 46.7 million units shipped, narrowly beating Apple, which shipped 46.2 million iPhones for a 16.2 per cent share, research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) said on Wednesday. Huawei’s smartphone shipments fell 1.9... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339863/huawei-reclaims-top-spot-over-apple-china-smartphone-market-after-chip-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339863/huawei-reclaims-top-spot-over-apple-china-smartphone-market-after-chip-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:30:12 +0000 Wency Chen,Xinmei Shen Wency Chen,Xinmei Shen Humanoid robot guides, stair-climbing robo-vacuum cleaners and exoskeletons for hikers were all among the exhibits at the world’s largest electronics show as artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly finds a role in the physical world. Chinese companies made up about a quarter of the 4,000-plus exhibitors at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), underlining how the country is at the forefront of developments that could turn AI-powered robots into mainstream household items. The large Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339813/humanoid-robot-guides-hiker-exoskeletons-ces-2026-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339813/humanoid-robot-guides-hiker-exoskeletons-ces-2026-round?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:11:13 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng The global memory-chip crunch has forced a mainland Chinese smartphone manufacturer to pull the plug on the launch of a new handset, making it one of the first cancellations affecting the wider industry due to surging prices of the key component. DreamSmart Group said that its Meizu smartphone brand had cancelled the release of Meizu 22 Air, a slim handset similar to Apple’s iPhone Air. “The sharp rise in memory prices since the fourth quarter has not only impacted [production] costs, but also... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3339566/surging-memory-chip-prices-force-chinese-smartphone-maker-meizu-abandon-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3339566/surging-memory-chip-prices-force-chinese-smartphone-maker-meizu-abandon-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chinese household appliances maker Dreame Technology unveiled more than 20 new artificial intelligence-embedded products at this year’s CES trade show in Las Vegas, showing a glimpse of the future when smart devices would run almost all chores in a house. Those formed part of more than 150 products that Dreame, one of the world’s top five vendors of robot vacuum cleaners, exhibited at the four-day trade show that concludes this Friday. Dreame’s new “AI-powered whole-home smart ecosystem”... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3339228/chinese-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-bets-ai-driven-appliances-run-household-chores?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3339228/chinese-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-bets-ai-driven-appliances-run-household-chores?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 01:00:18 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Thanks to tighter budgets and a growing taste for retro tech, Chinese millennials and Gen Z consumers – who once chased the latest iPhone or Android handset – are increasingly turning to second-hand markets for upgrades or bargains. “Consumers on tighter budgets no longer consider buying used items a shameful thing,” said Rex Chen, president and chief financial officer at ATRenew, China’s largest second-hand electronics recycler and trading platform operator. With most the platform’s users born... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338093/chinas-second-hand-boom-fuels-bruising-battle-trade-traffic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338093/chinas-second-hand-boom-fuels-bruising-battle-trade-traffic?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 23:30:08 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies and daughter of its founder, hailed the company’s breakthroughs in 2025 in a New Year message that vowed to take advantage of “strategic opportunities” amid a “surge of intelligence in all aspects of life and work”. The US-sanctioned telecommunications gear maker, which plays a central role in China’s push for tech self-sufficiency, “built a solid foundation for computing” in 2025 with the expansion of its Kunpeng and Ascend chip... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338109/huawei-hails-ascend-ai-ecosystem-new-year-message-atlas-900-supernode-rolls-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338109/huawei-hails-ascend-ai-ecosystem-new-year-message-atlas-900-supernode-rolls-out?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:00:46 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese household appliances maker Dreame Technology will present gifts of gold and a trip to Antarctica to employees, on top of their year-end bonuses, as the company boosted its position as one of the world’s leading vendors of robot vacuum cleaners. The additional largesse was revealed over the weekend by Dreame founder and CEO Yu Hao in two WeChat Moments posts. Yu said every employee will receive a one-gram gold bonus in addition to their standard year-end payout. The company also planned... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338029/chinese-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-gives-gifts-gold-and-trip-antarctica-employees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338029/chinese-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-gives-gifts-gold-and-trip-antarctica-employees?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:00:10 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Xiaomi on Thursday unveiled the 17 Ultra, its latest premium smartphone model that features improved night photography and mobile imaging capabilities on the back of the firm’s enhanced partnership with German camera maker Leica. “We work together to build future-proof optical technology … and completely reshape the mobile photography experience,” Xiaomi president Lu Weibing said at the handset’s launch. In a side-by-side comparison of dimly lit photos taken in Hong Kong with Xiaomi’s 17 Ultra... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337738/xiaomis-17-ultra-backed-leica-challenges-apples-iphone-pro-max-mobile-imaging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337738/xiaomis-17-ultra-backed-leica-challenges-apples-iphone-pro-max-mobile-imaging?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 14:00:11 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Huawei Technologies cut prices on its widescreen, flip-style Pura X handset over the weekend, as the foldable smartphone market braced for a new wave of high-profile launches from rivals Samsung and Apple. The Shenzhen-based smartphone giant said it was trimming as much as 800 yuan (US$114) from the Pura X, which debuted in March. The vertically folding model now starts at 6,899 yuan. The Pura X stands apart from Huawei’s other foldables for its wider 6.3-inch display and 16:10 aspect ratio –... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337349/huawei-cuts-pura-x-prices-samsung-and-apple-foldables-loom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337349/huawei-cuts-pura-x-prices-samsung-and-apple-foldables-loom?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:00:10 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao HarmonyOS, Huawei Technologies’ self-developed operating system, has crossed the threshold of 27 million users, a sign that the company’s efforts to take on Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android are paying off. In announcing the user numbers for its latest iterations – HarmonyOS 5 and HarmonyOS 6 – the Shenzhen-based tech giant referred to the milestone as a “survival line” for the company. The platform also boasted an ecosystem of over 10 million developers. User engagement crossed milestones, too,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337345/huaweis-harmonyos-crosses-survival-line-user-base-hits-27-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337345/huaweis-harmonyos-crosses-survival-line-user-base-hits-27-million?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese tablet makers, including Xiaomi and Honor, have raised prices across their product lines as they scrambled to absorb soaring costs of memory chips. Xiaomi, the Beijing-based smartphone and electric vehicle maker, has imposed mark-ups of 100 yuan (US$14) to 300 yuan on several tablet products this week, including its entry-level Redmi Pad 2 and the premium Xiaomi Pad 8 series. The Redmi Pad 2, launched in June this year with a starting price of 999 yuan, now carries a price tag of 1,199... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3336776/memory-crunch-chinese-tablet-makers-xiaomi-and-honor-raise-prices-chip-costs-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3336776/memory-crunch-chinese-tablet-makers-xiaomi-and-honor-raise-prices-chip-costs-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:00:10 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese smartphone and electric vehicle (EV) giant Xiaomi has released and open-sourced a new artificial intelligence model, MiMo-V2-Flash, that is expected to match up well against the latest systems from DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, Anthropic and OpenAI. Available worldwide on Xiaomi’s developer site MiMo Studio, Hugging Face and the API Platform, MiMo-V2-Flash “particularly excels in reasoning, coding and agentic scenarios, while also serving as an excellent general-purpose assistant for everyday... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3336772/xiaomi-launches-open-source-model-compete-against-deepseek-moonshot-openai-systems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3336772/xiaomi-launches-open-source-model-compete-against-deepseek-moonshot-openai-systems?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:00:11 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics has teased what it calls the world’s first humanoid robot “app store”, a developer platform designed to bring embodied intelligence into everyday life by allowing users to access and control robots directly through their smartphones. The Hangzhou-based robotics unicorn unveiled a centralised programme, dubbed the Unitree Robotics Developer Platform, offering functions such as datasets and remote control programmes for humanoids. Unitree called it the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336380/chinas-unitree-teases-platform-allowing-users-control-robots-through-smartphones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336380/chinas-unitree-teases-platform-allowing-users-control-robots-through-smartphones?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 08:49:43 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Huawei Technologies is reinforcing its position in the foldable smartphone segment with the global launch of the Mate X7, as the market awaits Apple’s much-anticipated foldable iPhone and digests the recent announcement of Samsung Electronics’ first trifold. Priced at 2,099 euros (US$2,445), the Huawei Mate X7, which was released in China last month, features a thickness of 4.5mm (0.2 inches) when unfolded. The device, including the battery, weighs up to 236 grams. It was rolled out globally at... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336029/chinas-huawei-ramps-foldable-smartphone-battle-global-launch-slim-mate-x7?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336029/chinas-huawei-ramps-foldable-smartphone-battle-global-launch-slim-mate-x7?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:01:08 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Apple customers in selected mainland Chinese cities can now get a new iPhone delivered to their door for free within three hours, as the US tech giant steps up efforts to defend its turf in the world’s largest smartphone market. From Wednesday, three-hour delivery is free for in-stock items including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and AirPods. Other products will incur a delivery fee of 45 yuan (US$6.40). Apple normally charges 45 yuan for its express service in mainland... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3336056/apple-takes-chinas-smartphone-battle-house-house-free-3-hour-iphone-delivery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3336056/apple-takes-chinas-smartphone-battle-house-house-free-3-hour-iphone-delivery?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:06:18 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese artificial intelligence start-up Z.ai on Tuesday open sourced a tool it spent years developing to put AI capability into every smartphone, a move that follows backlash against ByteDance’s newly released AI phone over privacy concerns. Beijing-based Z.ai, also known as Zhipu AI, said it released its Phone Agent – the software framework underpinning AutoGLM, an AI agent app it launched last year to perform tasks on smartphones for users – on the source code platforms GitHub and Hugging... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3335746/chinas-zai-open-sources-ai-agent-tool-phones-after-bytedance-privacy-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3335746/chinas-zai-open-sources-ai-agent-tool-phones-after-bytedance-privacy-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 09:00:14 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese tech firm Xiaomi reaped returns from its artificial intelligence spending in 2025 that “far exceeded expectations”, the company’s president Lu Weibing said in a recorded video posted on Chinese social media platform Douyin. Lu said the Beijing-based company was pivoting to embodied AI after heavy investment in general AI over the past few quarters. The Beijing-based company’s efforts to apply AI in electric vehicles (EVs) and robotics are similar to Elon Musk’s plan of using the advanced... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3335359/chinas-xiaomi-says-returns-ai-investments-far-exceed-expectations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3335359/chinas-xiaomi-says-returns-ai-investments-far-exceed-expectations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 10:00:17 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau There are some days when stay-at-home mother of three Lynn Lee finds her 15-year-old daughter watching drama programmes or playing games on her phone for hours on end, unaware of how much time has passed. The 49-year-old, whose children are aged between 10 and 15, calls it an addiction and says her teenager’s screen time can be between eight and 10 hours a day despite parental controls that shut off her internet at 10.30pm. According to Lee, the addiction has caused her daughter’s temperament to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3335366/singapore-parents-welcome-curbs-smartphone-use-schools-better-late-never?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3335366/singapore-parents-welcome-curbs-smartphone-use-schools-better-late-never?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:47:38 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies has launched a new app to facilitate seamless data exchange between its proprietary operating system HarmonyOS and Apple’s iOS ecosystem. The “HarmonyOS Interconnect” app was recently made available on the App Store for MacOS devices, days after the release of the version for the iPhone and iPad. Once installed on an Apple device, it allows AirDrop-style transfers of files, images, videos and contact information between a device running on the latest... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3335057/huawei-launches-app-airdrop-style-file-transfers-between-harmonyos-and-apple-devices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3335057/huawei-launches-app-airdrop-style-file-transfers-between-harmonyos-and-apple-devices?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 11:00:17 +0000 Reuters Reuters India revoked its order to smartphone makers on Wednesday to require the installation of a state-run cybersecurity app days after the plan triggered a major backlash from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s opponents and privacy activists over surveillance fears. The Indian government had confidentially ordered companies including Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi to install new phones with an app called Sanchar Saathi, or Communication Partner, within 90 days, Reuters was first to report on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334987/india-reassures-users-about-snooping-state-run-app-you-can-delete-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3334987/india-reassures-users-about-snooping-state-run-app-you-can-delete-it?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:48:34 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng The first smartphone running on ByteDance’s artificial intelligence agentic phone assistant sold out on the first day, as consumers jumped at the chance to try the AI-powered gadget that could change the way people use mobile phones. The ZTE Nubia M153, an “engineering prototype” only available for order online, was keenly sought after thanks to ByteDance’s embedded operating-system-level Doubao Mobile Assistant, which is able to carry out tasks such as booking restaurants or editing photos via... https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/ai/article/3334911/bytedance-powered-ai-phone-sparks-online-rush-consumers-keen-try-agentic-assistant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/ai/article/3334911/bytedance-powered-ai-phone-sparks-online-rush-consumers-keen-try-agentic-assistant?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Samsung Electronics unveiled on Tuesday its first multi-folding smartphone in a bid to strengthen its position in a sector of the handset market where competition is expected to intensify. The launch of the Galaxy Z TriFold marks Samsung’s bid to reinforce its footing in a segment where Chinese rivals have been gaining ground, even as analysts said the high price and production challenges meant foldable devices were likely to remain a niche category for now. The model, priced at about 3.59... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3334851/samsung-unveils-first-multi-folding-phone-competition-set-heat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3334851/samsung-unveils-first-multi-folding-phone-competition-set-heat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 04:00:06 +0000 Ben Young Ben Young While the US’ AI companies have repeatedly made headlines with historically high valuations, some keen-eyed investors have been making money in China’s AI sector, which has also been on the rise. Thanks to the success of DeepSeek and other native large language models (LLMs), Grace Tam, chief investment adviser at BNP Paribas (BNPP) Hong Kong, says she had expected the “nourishing policies” for AI and digital consumption that were adopted as part of China’s 15th five-year plan at the plenum on... https://www.scmp.com/specialist-publications/special-reports/topics/wealth-alternative-investments/article/3332729/china-bets-real-world-ai-uses-backed-state-support-and-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/specialist-publications/special-reports/topics/wealth-alternative-investments/article/3332729/china-bets-real-world-ai-uses-backed-state-support-and-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 22:30:10 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding on Thursday launched its first artificial intelligence glasses in China, as the tech giant seeks to carve out a solid niche in the growing smart wearables market. The Quark AI Glasses, named after the company’s Quark AI assistant, include three versions each of the series’ flagship S1 model and the lightweight G1 model. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. “AI glasses are the intelligent devices that truly usher in a revolution in human-computer interaction in the AI... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334399/alibaba-launches-us537-quark-ai-glasses-challenge-wearables-meta-xiaomi-rokid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334399/alibaba-launches-us537-quark-ai-glasses-challenge-wearables-meta-xiaomi-rokid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 12:11:35 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Xiaomi has hired a former engineer from Tesla’s Optimus team, Zach Lu Zeyu, to join the Chinese tech giant’s robotics initiatives, as the talent grab in the industry intensifies. Lu, previously a senior robotics engineer focused on the Optimus humanoid robot, joined Xiaomi last month to lead the Beijing-based firm’s dexterous hand research and development operations, according to his LinkedIn page. During his two years at Tesla, Lu worked on the design for dexterous grasping and manipulation, as... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334353/xiaomi-seeks-helping-hand-former-tesla-engineer-robotics-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334353/xiaomi-seeks-helping-hand-former-tesla-engineer-robotics-development?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 11:00:11 +0000 Ben Jiang,Ann Cao Ben Jiang,Ann Cao Smart glasses have been technology’s “next big thing” for at least a decade without actually getting very far. Chinese companies now hope that new developments in artificial intelligence (AI) could make the sector take off. Start-ups, such as Rokid, Xreal, Meizu and Rayneo, have introduced AI-powered smart glasses in China this year, along with established tech giants Xiaomi, Baidu and Alibaba. Facebook owner Meta, the global market leader, also debuted the AI-powered Meta Ray-Ban Display... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3334327/smart-glasses-makers-see-ai-long-awaited-killer-app?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3334327/smart-glasses-makers-see-ai-long-awaited-killer-app?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 08:00:13 +0000