Xu noted that Huawei shipped 240 million smartphones this year, 20 percent more than the year before. The company mainly sold smartphones launched before it was banned from the US, making it hard to source key parts or keep access to key technology such as Google’s Android OS. The company’s latest phone, the Mate 30, launched in September but without Android.
In his letter, Xu said Huawei will “go all out” in 2020 to build its Huawei Mobile Services ecosystem, with cloud storage and app gallery, saying this will be “the foundation of our ability to sell smart devices in markets outside of China.” The company is also developing its own mobile OS, Harmony.
“The external environment is becoming more complicated than ever, and downward pressure on the global economy has intensified,” Xu said. “In the long term, the US government will continue to suppress the development of leading technology – a challenging environment for Huawei to survive and thrive,” he added. The US government said using equipment from companies such as Huawei poses a security risk due to the nature of their relationship with the Chinese government. Huawei has repeatedly denied all allegations.
Xu also said Huawei will continue to remove mediocre managers and complacent employees.
