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Huawei’s new Kirin chip puts LogicFolding to the test, with bigger ambitions in AI
New smartphone processor is a crucial test of the firm’s attempt to route around US-led curbs on the most advanced chipmaking technology
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Howard Liuin Beijing
Huawei Technologies’ latest flagship mobile processor is serving as a high-stakes test of whether the company can bypass US technology sanctions by layering circuits on top of each other to boost performance, according to analysts.
The Shenzhen-based firm on Monday launched the Kirin 9050 Pro, the first commercial chip employing its LogicFolding architecture. The new strategy aims to squeeze greater computing power out of semiconductor designs without relying solely on the circuit-shrinking provided by the world’s most advanced lithography equipment, which remains blocked by US export controls.
Powering Huawei’s new Mate XT 2 trifold smartphone, the Kirin 9050 Pro delivers a 42 per cent leap in overall performance over its predecessor alongside improved power efficiency, according to the company.
For global chipmakers with access to leading-edge manufacturing equipment, stacking components – or 3D integration – is typically a supplementary tool used alongside transistor miniaturisation. Constrained by trade restrictions, however, Huawei has instead made advanced packaging and architectural workarounds its main strategy.
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