The latest premier smartphone from Huawei Technologies integrates an increased proportion of chip components made in China, compared with earlier models. This development, reported by the research organization TechInsights, underlines the onward and upward journey of China's semiconductor sector.

The new smartphone, called the Mate 60 Pro, went under the microscope at TechInsights for a detailed analysis. The company's analyst, Dan Hutcheson, revealed that approximately two-thirds of the silicon in the device are derived from local production capacity, a significant step forward from 2 to 3 years ago, when only a third of the silicon had been produced domestically.

Painting a picture of the technological prowess involved, Hutcheson underscored that the phone's vital functions are supported by an advanced chip, made by the top Chinese contract chipmaker SMIC, employing 7 nanometer (nm) technology. This achievement, demonstrating China's ability to remain a competitive force in the global chip market, comes despite the constraints imposed by U.S sanctions.

Facing the prevailing perspective that China would find it difficult to keep up with internationally leading chip firms, Hutcheson now thinks they are lagging by only about 2-2.5 nodes. While questions have circulated concerning the cost and yield of Huawei’s latest chip, Hutcheson suggests that the yield could exceed 50%. In passing, he complimented the superior quality of this chip compared to an earlier version of the 7 nm chip also created by SMIC.

The Mate 60 Pro could mark the start of Huawei’s efforts to regain its foothold in the competitive smartphone market, with Apple as its primary competitor. It is interesting to note that some early Mate 60 Pro owners posted videos indicating that the phones included NAND flash memory chips manufactured by South Korean company SK Hynix. However, following U.S. sanctions, SK Hynix voluntarily decided to suspend its chip supply to Huawei, stating it was committed to comply with U.S. export restrictions.

In summary, the increased integration of domestically made chip components into Huawei’s smartphones indicates steady progress in China's semiconductor sector. These advancements, in combination with the product's performance and future potential improvements, points to a strong resurgence of Huawei in a fiercely competitive smartphone market.