Chip Talk > Huawei's Kirin 9020: From Sanctions to Silicon Supremacy
Published August 22, 2025
In the dynamic world of semiconductors, few stories are as compelling as Huawei's recent technological revival. Faced with stringent US sanctions that once silenced its burgeoning mobile empire, Huawei is not only reclaiming ground but doing so with the sort of innovation that's impossible to ignore. At the heart of this resurgence is the Kirin 9020 system-on-a-chip (SoC), which marks a pivotal moment in Huawei's 5G journey.
Recently, Huawei Technologies officially put to rest years of speculation by confirming the Kirin 9020, designed by its subsidiary HiSilicon, powers its high-end smartphones including the Mate 70 and Pura 80. This revelation came as a relief not only to tech enthusiasts but also to investors who watched Huawei struggle under tech embargoes.
Huawei's Kirin series has long been a testament to the company's capability in the semiconductor space. The 9020, however, is more than just another chip; it symbolizes Huawei's engineering prowess and resourcefulness. Developed by SMIC using a 7-nanometer process, this chip showcases Huawei's ability to navigate around restrictions and highlights the potential of Chinese semiconductor manufacturing capabilities too.
The journey from the Kirin 9010 to the 9020 was one of incremental refinement rather than radical redesign, as noted by tech analysts TechInsights. Even amidst global restrictions, Huawei refocused its efforts on securing a homegrown supply chain and increasing its autonomy in chip design and production.
The US sanctions imposed in 2019 forced Huawei to rethink its strategy. Semiconductors and operating systems, once sourced predominantly from US firms, had to be internally developed. In response, Huawei doubled down on its investments in R&D, injecting tens of billions of yuan into developing proprietary technologies.
The impact of these investments is already visible; HarmonyOS, Huawei's own operating system, now runs on more than 10 million devices. This not only erases the dependency on Android but also positions Huawei as a contender in the global OS market.
The success of the Kirin 9020 isn't just a win for Huawei - it's a wakeup call for the semiconductor industry. By leveraging domestic resources and scaling its technical prowess, Huawei has set a precedent that other companies might follow.
Richard Yu Chengdong, chairman of Huawei's consumer business group, poignantly narrated the journey of hardship and triumph in recent interviews with China Central Television, eluding to the depth of Huawei's challenge when suddenly their devices were pulled from shelves globally due to sanctions.
As a result, Huawei has aggressively pursued security across its supply chain, ensuring its long-term development is secured against geopolitical fluctuations.
Huawei’s return to the forefront of the 5G smartphone market, underscored by the Kirin 9020, challenges market incumbents and reshapes expectations for innovation under duress. It’s no longer just about making a comeback; it’s about setting new standards in resilience and technological foresight.
In the end, this tale of innovation against restriction paints Huawei not as an underdog, but as a pioneering force in the global tech arena. Its journey underscores a broader shift towards self-sufficiency in tech development — a trend that could redefine the future of the semiconductor IP industry.
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