However, there is good news recently. Huawei has stabilized, Beidou has led domestic chips to achieve a "breakthrough", and 28nm process chips have been mass-produced. According to the "First Financial Daily" report, just as Huawei was caught in the "lack of core" crisis, Beidou unexpectedly stepped forward, or will help Huawei get rid of the chip crisis.
Recently, Ran Chengqi, spokesman of China Beidou, solemnly announced at the press conference of the State Council Office that the 28nm process chip of Beidou system has been mass-produced and the 22nm process chip will be mass-produced, which is ahead of the two generations of GPS technology in the United States.
It is reported that the developer of Beidou navigation chip in China is Hunan Guo Kewei Electronics Co., Ltd. Previously, Guo Kewei's "own core" won the China Semiconductor Innovation Product and Technology Award at the 2020 World Semiconductor Conference held recently.
This time, according to Guo Kewei, besides the 28nm process chip of Beidou system has been mass-produced, the latest 22nm Beidou navigation and positioning chip has also completed the verification of various key performances, and it is expected to be mass-produced in the first half of next year.
You know, at present, the average technology of global navigation and positioning chips is 40nm, and Guo Kewei's 22nm technology means that Beidou navigation chips are at least two generations ahead of the global average in technology, including GPS in the United States. What does this mean? At present, GPS occupies at least 80% of the global commercial market, which means that Beidou navigation is expected to seize the global market share of GPS by virtue of its technological advantages.
Some people may say, what does this have to do with Huawei? After all, what Huawei lacks is not a navigation chip. But this is really important. Please read on.
We all know that what Huawei lacks most at present is mobile phone chips, but in fact, the United States' chip blockade against Huawei is not only mobile phone chips, but also a series of chips such as AI artificial intelligence chips and 5G base station chips. For Huawei, although the mobile phone business is important, it is definitely not an essential business.
Some time ago, Taiji Electric took a different approach, hoping to include chips such as mobile phones and AI artificial intelligence other than 5G base station chips into standard products through the American Semiconductor Association, so that it can continue to OEM chips for Huawei without a ban. It's just that the application has never been approved.
So what is Huawei's really important business? Of course, it is communication service, so the base station chip is absolutely indispensable for Huawei.
Followed by other commercial chip businesses, such as the aforementioned AI smart chip. If the communication business is the foundation of Huawei, then other commercial chip businesses represent the future of Huawei, especially at the critical moment of the arrival of the 5G era.
Take the 28nm navigation chip that Beidou broke through this time, which belongs to one of other commercial chips and is very helpful to Huawei's ecosystem.
We all know that with the arrival of 5G, Huawei has begun to make a comprehensive layout and enter the field of autonomous driving, but perhaps many people don't know that with high-precision maps, it is possible to carry out research and development of autonomous driving related businesses. Huawei is the 20th enterprise with high-precision surveying and mapping qualification in China (officially awarded to Huawei in July last year), and it is also the highest level of Grade A surveying and mapping qualification.
Beidou navigation broke through at this time. It can be said that Huawei's business in this area is basically stable. At least don't worry about chip failure, it may still be in the lead.
Of course, the significance of Beidou navigation chip breakthrough goes far beyond this. Although this is only a breakthrough in navigation chip technology, the mass production of 28nm chips is exciting enough when the domestic chips are still at 90nm.
This also shows that although chip manufacturing is difficult, it is not that difficult. Navigation chips can break through to 22nm, so other chips are naturally possible. Come on Huawei, come on China semiconductor industry!