The HUAWEI P40 series that fills the "Google hole" in a partner strategy is "Sale beyond expected": SIM Lock -free Small Homer (page 1/2)

Huawei, which can no longer install "GMS (Google Mobile Service)" on Android due to the worsening relationship with the United States, is steadily launching its own ecosystem "HMS (Huawei Mobile Services)". evolving. Initially, the HMS terminal was only "Mate 30 Pro 5G", but in June, three models of the P40 series were released at once. Not only the flagship model “P40 Pro 5G”, but also the middle range models “P40 lite 5G” and “P40 lite E” are available.

HMS is a hurdle to use in the same way as Android so far While it is expensive, the company's device features high cost performance and commitment to camera functions are still alive. It is attracting attention mainly from those who are familiar with gadgets and smartphones. At the same time as the P40 series, the tablet MatePad series and wireless earphones "Free Buds 3i" were also announced, showing off the richness of the lineup.

On the other hand, HMS is still in its infancy and there will inevitably be fewer apps. In particular, since the lite series terminals have penetrated the general public, it is expected that the battle without GMS will be a difficult road. We asked Mr. Yang Tao, president of the Japan and South Korea region in Huawei Japan's device division, about Huawei's latest strategy in Japan. He succeeds Wu Bo, who has been in this position for about 10 years. He also talked about his enthusiasm for becoming the representative.

――　He was appointed as the president of Japan and South Korea. First of all, please tell us about your enthusiasm and goals.

Mr. Yang: First, I thought about the future of the Japanese market. Huawei has a strategy of "1 + 8 + N". 1 refers to smartphones, 8 refers to peripheral devices centered on smartphones such as tablets, smart speakers, and telematics. The "+" also has a meaning, which is a connection. We have a connection method called "HiLink", and CPE and mobile Wi-Fi routers are also "+". N is a partner company's IoT product that can be connected to our product.

By combining all of these, you can make any scene smarter. In the past, we have focused on products such as smartphones, tablets, CPEs, and mobile Wi-Fi routers. In the future, even in the "+8" and "+N" parts, I would like to introduce products that are suitable for Japanese consumers and have high product appeal in all usage scenes, and realize smartization. The business of developing smart life in all usage scenes is also successful in other countries. Smart life is possible when various devices connect to each other and become truly seamless.

The other is to build Huawei's own ecosystem. Going forward, we will be able to offer more choices to developers as well as consumers. At the previous presentation, in addition to tablets, earphones, and PCs, we also announced AppGallery.

――　You said that you will also focus on "+8" and "+N", but will the role of smartphones become relatively small?

Mr. Yang: That's not true. Smartphones are still a core commodity. This is because it is the most frequently used device. We would like to give the smartphone a new position as a smarter device, not just a smartphone. Your smartphone is like your personal assistant, and it also manages our “+8”.

――Are there any plans to open the functions to control and connect "+8" and "+N" to other companies?

Mr. Yang: Already doing it. HiLink, which I mentioned earlier, is a connection protocol for just that. If you support this, you will be able to connect with terminals of other companies. From a consistent standpoint, we have been calling for interconnection and cooperation with other manufacturers. This is because we have been operating as a telecommunications equipment vendor. We have been able to grow our business so far because we have participated in the formulation of standards within 3GPP and have called for interconnection among multiple companies. This also makes it more convenient. We always try to be open and improve the convenience of consumers. The benefit of globalization is that consumers can benefit more from cooperation between companies.

――　You said that smartphones are still important, but I would like to ask you about those smartphones. You announced the P40 series the other day, but why did you choose these three models while there are "P40", "P40 Pro+" and "P40 lite" overseas?

Mr. Yang　When our company's HMS smartphone was launched in the Japanese market, we had a lot of internal discussions. 5G has also started in Japan. Although it was postponed, the Tokyo Olympics were also scheduled. In such a situation, my biggest desire is to make 5G more exciting. That's why we chose the most competitive products.

The P40 Pro 5G is a flagship model, and it is said that not only the price and specifications but also the camera is the strongest. With the addition of a new cinema-level camera, it is a terminal that we can confidently recommend. On the other hand, some customers still want to buy 5G smartphones at affordable prices. For those people, we have prepared the P40 lite 5G as the most competitive mid-range smartphone.

Of course, there are still many people who will continue to use 4G, and their needs must be met. We decided to launch the P40 lite E because we wanted to offer the most competitive product for 4G as well.

Regarding our product strategy, all three models announced are HMS smartphones equipped with AppGallery. That's why we wanted to ensure that our smartphone hardware stands out when compared in the same price range. Naturally, we believe that it will take time for consumers to accept HMS and AppGallery. For that reason, we have newly established a service called "VIP +". If you have any trouble while using it, you can easily access our company at any time.

We provide excellent hardware at competitive prices, and we also provide better services. (By becoming HMS) Differences will inevitably appear, so I'm thinking of supplementing with these three.