China’s Huawei joins Germany’s Leica in bid to reinvent smartphone photography
Alliance with German optics giant part of strategy to differentiate Huawei’s Android smartphones from other Chinese brands
Huawei Technologies, the largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer in China, is teaming up with Germany’s Leica Camera in a new initiative that they claim will reinvent smartphone photography.
The two companies said in a joint announcement on Thursday that the partnership will include combined research and development, design, engineering, marketing and retail distribution.
No investment details were given on those activities, but speculation has been rife that Leica Camera plans to soon enter the smartphone market with a device made by Huawei.
“Smartphones make a very important contribution to the world of photography and open an important door for Leica to new target groups and fields of application,” Leica Camera chief executive Oliver Kaltner said.
“The technology partnership with Huawei offers Leica Camera an excellent opportunity to introduce its proven optical expertise into a new product segment and to unlock exciting business areas in the field of mobile devices.”
The alliance with the prestigious German optics and digital imaging giant would appear to benefit Shenzhen-based Huawei in its bid to differentiate its Android smartphones from those of other Chinese mobile device brands.