Several major chipmakers have sought exemptions from the new US sanctions against Huawei, so they can continue to supply the company. These include Qualcomm, Micron Technology, Samsung Electronics, Mediatek and Macronix International, reports Caixin Global. New Commerce Department rules that went into force 15 September forbid any company whose production process involves American technology from supplying Huawei with products unless they obtain a licence.
The Chinese mainland’s largest contract chip manufacturer Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp also submitted an application, a spokesperson for the company said. No company has yet reported a successful application for a licence.
The Global Times reports that the chipmakers have already halted supplies to Huawei. The company said earlier that this threatens the production of its Kirin processors and would impact its smartphone production levels. The upcoming Huawei Mate 40, equipped with the Kirin 9000, is expected to be the last generation of Huawei phones powered by its self-developed chipset.
Industry insiders told the Global Times earlier this week that Huawei recently chartered a cargo flight to transport chip products made by suppliers such as TSMC and MediaTek. At the same time, Huawei still owns a sufficient inventory of key raw materials, while some devices have been replaced to ensure a steady pace of shipments.
