Huawei adds smart sunglasses, gadgets
Huawei Consumer Business Group Thailand has introduced smart sunglasses and other connected gadgets to capitalise on the rise of the Internet of Things market, diversifying its product range as the smartphone market becomes saturated.
“Wearables and gadgets are essential for consumers with active lifestyles who exercise. Smartwatches have become a common accessory,” said Ingmar Wang, country director of Huawei Consumer Business Group Thailand.
New products launched in the final quarter include the Huawei Band 4 fitness tracker, connected smartwatches, wireless earbuds, Huawei Media Pad M5 Lite 10 tablets as well as smart sunglasses called Huawei x Gentle Monster, a collaboration with Korean manufacturer Gentle Monster.
Arvit Chiralerspong, deputy marketing director of Huawei Technologies Thailand, said the smart sunglasses were launched for the first time in Thailand.
The product’s price has yet to be determined, though it will be below 10,000 baht, he said.
The sunglasses can be used to listen to music and control songs. It can also answer phone calls, activates Google assistance, detects voice commands and shows notifications.
The sunglasses are designed to be unisex.
Smart sunglasses launched in China are priced 8,561-10,702 baht.
Huawei Band 4, a fitness tracker, was introduced at 999 baht, the company’s first fitness tracking device priced below 1,000 baht.
The product aims to compete with similar tracking devices from Chinese firm Xiaomi.
“In Thailand, fitness trackers and smartwatches continue to show double-digit growth thanks to people’s health consciousness,” said Mr Arvit.
“The products offer a long battery life and better performance.”
Smartwatch prices are 6,490-7,990 baht, he said. They come in various sizes for men and women as well as sports, classic and elite editions to tap into broader consumer segments.
Mr Arvit said smartwatches will support embedded SIMs, allowing the devices to be connected with cellular networks.
The adoption of the sixth generation of WiFi will bring faster connectivity as well as opportunities for routers that support it, he said.
BEIJING: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd yesterday reported a double-digit gain in sales despite US sanctions that threaten to disrupt its smartphone and network equipment businesses.
Huawei said its sales rose 24.4% in the first nine months of 2019 to 610.8 billion yuan ($86 billion). That was faster than the 23.2% gain reported for the first half.
The announcement followed USChinese trade talks in Washington that ended on Friday with no word of progress on resolving Huawei’s status.
The Trump administration, which accuses Huawei of being a security risk, imposed curbs in May on its access to US technology and components including Google’s music, maps and other smartphone services.
Washington has delayed enforcement and suggested it might allow sales of some US technology. But Huawei’s chairman, Liang Hua, warned in July it would “face difficulties’’ in the second half.
Huawei says it is removing US components from its smartphones and network gear and has announced its own phone operating system to replace Google’s Android if necessary.
But no non-US supplier can fully replace Google music, maps and other services. Industry analysts say that might threaten Huawei’s status as the No. 2 global smartphone brand behind Samsung Electronics Co Ltd by sales volume.
Huawei said smartphone shipments rose 26% in the first nine months of 2019 over a year earlier, to 185 million units.
US security warnings focus on Huawei’s status as the biggest supplier of network gear that forms the heart of telecom networks.
Huawei denies accusations it facilitates Chinese spying or might install “backdoors’’ in its equipment for eavesdropping.
The company, China’s first global tech brand, is a leader in next-generation network technology meant to support self-driving cars and other new applications.
Its increased reach makes 5G technology more politically sensitive.
Washington is lobbying European and other allies to ban Huawei from plans to upgrade networks to 5G. Germany, France and Ireland say they have no plans to ban any supplier.
Germany’s Federal Network Agency catalogue of conditions for suppliers of new 5G networks include requiring certification of critical components and ensuring trustworthiness of manufacturers, without singling out Huawei for exclusion.
Huawei said it welcomed the German government’s move to create a level playing field for 5G suppliers, in which all vendors are equally and fairly welcome to participate in the construction of 5G networks if they fulfill the security requirements.
The US has been lobbying allies in Europe to shun Huawei, the world’s biggest maker of networking equipment, over worries its equipment might aid Chinese electronic spying, claims the company has repeatedly denied.
A US official on Tuesday warned that Washington would reconsider sharing intelligence with allies that use Huawei network equipment.