History of Huawei in Timeline
Huawei is a Chinese multinational technology corporation headquartered in Shenzhen, China. Founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei, a former PLA officer, the company develops and sells telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics, electric vehicle autonomous driving systems, and rooftop solar power products. It has grown to become a significant global player in the technology sector, particularly in telecommunications infrastructure.
1987: Huawei established as a collectively owned enterprise
In 1987, Huawei was established as a collectively owned enterprise, representing an intermediary corporate ownership status.
1987: Huawei Founded by Ren Zhengfei
In 1987, Huawei was founded in Shenzhen by Ren Zhengfei, a former deputy director of the People's Liberation Army engineering corps. The company reported RMB 21,000 in registered capital.
1987: Huawei Founded
In 1987, Huawei was founded in Shenzhen by Ren Zhengfei, a veteran officer of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
1990: Commercialization of PBX Switches
By 1990, Huawei had approximately 600 R&D staff and began its own independent commercialization of PBX switches targeting hotels and small enterprises.
1992: Focus on Low-Income Market Niches
In 1992, Huawei focused on low-income and difficult-to-access market niches to grow despite competition from Alcatel, Lucent, and Nortel Networks.
1992: Chinese government begins issuing licenses for private businesses
In 1992, the Chinese government started issuing licenses for private businesses.
1993: Launch of C&C08 Telephone Switch
In 1993, Huawei launched its C&C08 program-controlled telephone switch, which was the most powerful switch available in China at the time. It gained market share by deploying in small cities and rural areas.
1994: Key Contract to Build National Telecommunications Network
In 1994, Huawei won a key contract to build the first national telecommunications network for the People's Liberation Army. Founder Ren Zhengfei met with Jiang Zemin and emphasized the importance of domestic switching equipment technology for national security.
1996: Initial Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) Solution
In 1996, Huawei began with a manufacturing resource planning (MRP) solution.
1996: Government Support for Domestic Telecommunications Manufacturers
In 1996, the government in Beijing adopted a policy supporting domestic telecommunications manufacturers like Huawei and restricting access to foreign competitors.
1997: Contract with Hutchison Whampoa and Launch of Wireless Products
In 1997, Huawei won a contract to provide fixed-line network products to Hong Kong company Hutchison Whampoa. Later that year, Huawei launched wireless GSM-based products.
1997: Shenzen's Provisions on State-owned Company Employee Stock Option Plans
In 1997, under Shenzen's Provisions on State-owned Company Employee Stock Option Plans, the mechanism for concentrating employee ownership was to do so via Huawei's trade union.
1998: Entrance into the African Telecommunications Market
Beginning in the late 1990s, Huawei built communications networks throughout sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, with its first entrance into the African telecommunications market in 1998.
1998: Joint Ventures with State-Owned Telecoms
By 1998, Huawei had signed agreements with municipal and provincial telephone bureaus to create Shanghai Huawei, Chengdu Huawei, Shenyang Huawei, Anhui Huawei, Sichuan Huawei, and other companies, which were a way to funnel money to local telecommunications employees so that Huawei could get deals to sell them equipment.
1998: Commencement of Operations in Kenya
Huawei commenced operations in Kenya in 1998, marking its entry into African technology markets. Today, Africa is one of Huawei's largest overseas markets.
1999: R&D Center Opened in Bengaluru, India
In 1999, Huawei opened a research and development (R&D) center in Bengaluru, India to develop a wide range of telecom software.
2000: 3Com abandons high-end core routers and switches
In 2000, 3Com abandoned the high-end core routers and switch market to focus on other businesses.
February 2003: Cisco sues Huawei for patent infringement
In February 2003, Cisco Systems sued Huawei Technologies for allegedly infringing on its patents and illegally copying source code used in its routers and switches.
May 2003: Partnership with 3Com
In May 2003, Huawei partnered with 3Com on a joint venture known as H3C, which focused on enterprise networking equipment.
July 2003: Huawei establishes their handset department
In July 2003, Huawei established their handset department.
July 2004: Huawei settles patent infringement lawsuit with Cisco
By July 2004, Huawei removed the contested code, manuals and command-line interfaces and the patent infringement case with Cisco Systems was subsequently settled out of court. As part of the settlement Huawei admitted that it had copied some of Cisco's router software.
2004: Huawei employee photographs competitor's equipment at Supercomm tech conference
At the 2004 Supercomm tech conference in Chicago, a Huawei employee allegedly opened up the networking equipment of other companies to photograph the circuit boards.
2004: Nortel compromised by Chinese hackers
In 2004, Brian Shields, former chief security officer at Nortel, said that his company was compromised by Chinese hackers, leading to access of executive credentials and takeover of entire computers. Shields believes that Huawei was a beneficiary of the hack, even though not directly involved. Documents taken included product roadmaps, sales proposals, and technical papers.
2004: Huawei ships their first phone, the C300
In 2004, Huawei shipped their first phone, the C300.
2004: $10 Billion Credit Line with China Development Bank
In 2004, Huawei signed a $10 billion credit line with China Development Bank to provide low-cost financing to customers buying its telecommunications equipment.
2004: China Development Bank Credit Line
In 2004, the China Development Bank began providing Huawei customers with a credit line totaling US$30 billion to help them finance purchases, undercutting competitors with lower interest rates and advance cash payments.
June 2005: Huawei ships their first 3G phone, the U626
In June 2005, Huawei launched their first 3G phone, the U626.
2005: Foreign Contract Orders Exceed Domestic Sales
In 2005, Huawei's foreign contract orders exceeded its domestic sales for the first time. Huawei signed a global framework agreement with Vodafone, receiving Approved Supplier status.
2006: 3Com Buys Out Huawei's Share of H3C
In 2006, 3Com bought out Huawei's share of the H3C joint venture for US$882 million.
2006: Huawei launches the first Vodafone-branded 3G handset, the V710
In 2006, Huawei launched the first Vodafone-branded 3G handset, the V710.
2007: Joint Venture with Symantec Corporation
In 2007, Huawei began a joint venture with US security software vendor Symantec Corporation, known as Huawei Symantec, which aimed to provide end-to-end solutions for network data storage and security.
May 2008: Optus to Establish Technology Research Facility with Huawei
In May 2008, Australian carrier Optus announced that it would establish a technology research facility with Huawei in Sydney.
October 2008: Agreement to Contribute to GSM-based HSPA+ Network
In October 2008, Huawei reached an agreement to contribute to a new GSM-based HSPA+ network being deployed jointly by Canadian carriers Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility, joined by Nokia Siemens Networks.
2009: China Development Bank Credit Line
By 2009, the China Development Bank had provided Huawei customers with a credit line totaling US$30 billion, enabling Huawei to undercut competitors through lower interest rates and advance cash payments. This credit line started in 2004.
2009: Huawei Marine Networks delivers HANNIBAL submarine communications cable system
In 2009, Huawei Marine Networks delivered the HANNIBAL submarine communications cable system for Tunisie Telecom across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy.
2009: LTE/EPC Commercial Networks for TeliaSonera
In 2009, Huawei delivered one of the world's first LTE/EPC commercial networks for TeliaSonera in Oslo, Norway. However, Norway-based telecommunications Telenor instead selected Ericsson due to security concerns with Huawei.
2009: Huawei unveils the U8220, their first Android smartphone
In 2009, Huawei unveiled the U8220, their first Android smartphone.
2009: Credit Line Tripled to $30 Billion
In 2009, Huawei's credit line with China Development Bank was tripled to $30 billion.
2009: Ability to Exploit Backdoors
In 2009, United States officials disclosed to the United Kingdom and Germany that Huawei has had the ability to covertly exploit backdoors intended for law enforcement officials. These backdoors are found on carrier equipment like antennas and routers.
2009: NSA infiltrates Huawei's computer network
In 2009, the National Security Agency (NSA) infiltrated Huawei's computer network, obtaining customer lists and internal training documents.
2009: Alleged covert backdoor access
Since 2009, Huawei has had the ability to covertly exploit backdoors intended for law enforcement officials in carrier equipment like antennas and routers.
July 2010: Inclusion in Global Fortune 500 List
In July 2010, Huawei was included in the Global Fortune 500 2010 list published by the US magazine Fortune for the first time, on the strength of annual sales of US$21.8 billion and net profit of US$2.67 billion.
2010: Approximately 80% of the world's top 50 telecoms companies had worked with Huawei
As of the beginning of 2010, approximately 80% of the world's top 50 telecoms companies had worked with Huawei.
2010: Huawei discloses list of board of directors for the first time
In 2010, Huawei disclosed its list of board of directors for the first time. Liang Hua is the current chair of the board.
2010: European Commission Investigation
In 2010, the European Commission initiated an investigation into China's subsidies, which were believed to distort global markets and harm European vendors. Huawei reportedly offered the initial complainant US$56 million to withdraw their complaint in an effort to halt the investigation.
2010: Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre set up
In 2010, the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre (HCSEC) was set up to assuage security fears as it examined Huawei hardware and software for the UK market, was staffed largely by employees from Huawei but with regular oversight from GCHQ.
2011: Entry into Photovoltaic (PV) Market
In 2011, Huawei entered the photovoltaic (PV) market and opened an Energy Center of Competence in Nuremberg, Germany.
2011: Vodafone Security Vulnerability
In 2011, Vodafone disclosed a security vulnerability in its Italian fixed line network contained in its Huawei-installed software. Huawei fixed the vulnerability at Vodafone's request. There was no report of suspicious activity and Vodafone increased its reliance on Huawei as a supplier.
2011: Open Source Enterprise Report on Huawei and the Chinese Government
In 2011, a report by the Open Source Enterprise detailed "suspicions over potential close links between Huawei and the Chinese Government," citing former chairwoman Sun Yafang's prior employment by the Ministry of State Security (MSS)'s Communications Department as an example.
January 2012: Australian Intelligence Detects Backdoor
In January 2012, Australian intelligence detected a backdoor in the country's telecom network linked to a Huawei software update containing malicious code that transmitted data to China. This information was shared with the United States.
September 2012: Huawei launches the Ascend P1 LTE, their first 4G ready phone
In September 2012, Huawei launched their first 4G ready phone, the Ascend P1 LTE.
October 2012: Move of UK Headquarters
In October 2012, it was announced that Huawei would move its UK headquarters to Green Park, Reading, Berkshire.
2012: Alleged Hack on Australia's Telecom Networks
In 2012, Australian and US intelligence agencies concluded that a hack on Australia's telecom networks was conducted by or through Huawei, although the two network operators have disputed that information.
2012: World's Largest Telecom Equipment Maker
In 2012, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. was recognized as the world's largest telecom equipment maker and China's largest telephone-network equipment maker.
2012: Huawei Buys Out Symantec's Share
In 2012, Huawei bought out Symantec's share in the Huawei Symantec joint venture due to Symantec's fears that the partnership "would prevent it from obtaining United States government classified information about cyber threats".
2012: Huawei Overtakes Ericsson
In 2012, Huawei overtook Ericsson to become the largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer in the world.
2012: White House Security Review Findings
In 2012, a White House-ordered security review found no evidence that Huawei spied for China, but noted that security vulnerabilities in its products posed a greater threat to users.
June 2013: Huawei launches the Ascend P6
In June 2013, Huawei launched the Ascend P6.
December 2013: Huawei introduces Honor as a subsidiary independent brand in China
In December 2013, Huawei introduced Honor as a subsidiary independent brand in China.
May 2014: Huawei launches the Ascend P7
In May 2014, Huawei launched the Ascend P7.
2014: Counter-Espionage Law
In 2014, China introduced the Counter-Espionage Law, which, along with the 2017 National Intelligence Law, compels Chinese businesses to work with Chinese intelligence and security agencies whenever requested.
2014: Reports of NSA infiltrating Huawei's computer network in 2009
In 2014, reports in Der Spiegel and The New York Times disclosed that, according to global surveillance disclosures, the National Security Agency (NSA) infiltrated Huawei's computer network in 2009, obtaining customer lists and internal training documents.
2014: NSA Penetration of Huawei's Networks
In 2014, the National Security Agency (NSA) penetrated Huawei's corporate networks in China, monitoring employee accounts, including those of founder Ren Zhengfei, in search of links between the company and the People's Liberation Army.
2014: World's No. 1 Applicant for International Patents
With 3,442 patents, Huawei became the world's No. 1 applicant for international patents in 2014.
January 2015: Huawei discontinues the "Ascend" brand and launches the P series with the Huawei P8
In January 2015, Huawei discontinued the "Ascend" brand for its flagship phones and launched the new P series with the Huawei P8.
September 2015: Huawei partners with Google to build the Nexus 6P
In September 2015, Huawei partnered with Google to build the Nexus 6P.
September 2015: Huawei Watch Release
On September 2, 2015, Huawei released the Huawei Watch, an Android Wear-based smartwatch, at Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin. It marked Huawei's first venture into the smartwatch market.
2015: Huawei Culture Club sponsors Ultra Music Festival
In 2015, Huawei Culture Club was listed as an official sponsor for Ultra Music Festival, one of the largest electronic festivals in Africa.
September 2016: Integration of Manufacturing Capabilities in Eindhoven
In September 2016, Huawei integrated new manufacturing capabilities into its Eindhoven hub in the Netherlands, enabling the production of 7,000 inverter units per month.
2016: Leica establishes partnership with Huawei to co-engineer cameras into Huawei smartphones
In 2016, German camera company Leica established a partnership with Huawei to co-engineer Leica cameras into Huawei smartphones, including the P and Mate Series.
2016: Huawei enters the laptop market with the MateBook series
In 2016, Huawei entered the laptop market with the release of its Huawei MateBook series of laptops.
2016: Expansion in Ireland
Since 2016, Huawei has expanded its operations in Ireland, with facilities in Dublin, Cork, and Westmeath.
January 2017: Data Transfers from African Union Headquarters
From January 2012 to January 2017, data transfers on servers at the African Union headquarters, supplied by Huawei, peaked after hours with internal data sent to unknown servers hosted in Shanghai.
April 2017: Entry into Residential Solar Market
In April 2017, Huawei entered the residential solar market, launching its string solar inverters and DC power optimizers, and later solar batteries.
September 2017: Creation of Narrowband IoT City-Aware Network
In September 2017, Huawei created a Narrowband IoT city-aware network using a "one network, one platform, N applications" construction model utilizing Internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, big data, and other next-generation information and communications technology.
2017: PRC National Intelligence Law
Article 7 of the 2017 PRC national intelligence-gathering activities law explicitly states that all Chinese citizens and organizations are obliged to cooperate upon request with PRC intelligence operations and maintain secrecy of such operations.
2017: Launch of RuralStar
In 2017, Huawei launched RuralStar to provide rural areas with access to technology and network connectivity. These systems use solar-powered small cell base stations with wireless backhaul to extend mobile coverage.
2017: Huawei found to have misappropriated T-Mobile's trade secrets
In 2017, a jury found that Huawei had misappropriated trade secrets of T-Mobile US but awarded damages only for a breach of supplier contract, and did not compensate T-Mobile for claims of espionage.
January 2018: US Allegations of Sanctions Violation
In January 2018, the United States alleged that Huawei violated sanctions against Iran, leading to restrictions on doing business with American companies.
May 2018: Huawei stops allowing bootloader unlocking on their phones
In May 2018, Huawei stated that they would no longer allow unlocking the bootloader of their phones, preventing installation of third-party system software or security updates.
August 2018: National Defense Authorization Act bans Huawei and ZTE equipment
In August 2018, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (NDAA 2019) was signed into law, containing a provision that banned Huawei and ZTE equipment from being used by the US federal government, citing security concerns.
October 2018: Start of Production for PEACE Cable Project
In October 2018, Huawei and HENGTONG Group announced the start of production for the Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) cable project.
November 2018: New Zealand Blocks Huawei from 5G Network
In November 2018, New Zealand blocked Huawei from supplying mobile equipment to Spark New Zealand's 5G network, citing a "significant network security risk" and concerns about China's National Intelligence Law.
December 1, 2018: Meng Wanzhou detained in Canada
On December 1, 2018, Meng Wanzhou, the board deputy chairperson and daughter of the founder of Huawei, was detained upon arrival at Vancouver International Airport by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers for questioning. She was subsequently arrested on a provisional U.S. extradition request.
December 2018: Intelligence agencies push back against US allegations
In December 2018, German and British intelligence agencies pushed back against the US' allegations against Huawei, stating that after examining Huawei's 5G hardware and accompanying source code, they found no evidence of malevolence.
2018: Huawei sells 200 million smartphones
By 2018, Huawei had achieved a significant milestone by selling 200 million smartphones.
2018: Huawei Music boasts 32 million active daily users; initiative to expand usership in Africa
In 2018, Huawei Music, the default music streaming platform on Huawei devices, reached 32 million active daily users in China. Also in 2018, Huawei launched an initiative to expand usership in Africa, focusing on South Africa.
2018: German court rules against Huawei and ZTE in favor of MPEG LA
In 2018, a German court ruled against Huawei and ZTE in favor of MPEG LA, which holds patents related to Advanced Video Coding.
2018: Huawei charged with racketeering, trade secret theft, and bank fraud
In 2018, federal indictment charges Huawei with using racketeering to grow its business, stealing trade secrets from U.S. companies, and committing bank fraud related to Iran.
2018: US Defense Funding Bill Barring Business with Huawei
In 2018, the United States passed a defense funding bill that included a provision barring the federal government from conducting business with Huawei, ZTE, and several other Chinese surveillance product vendors, citing security concerns.
January 2019: Intelligence agencies push back against US allegations
In January 2019, German and British intelligence agencies pushed back against the US' allegations against Huawei, stating that after examining Huawei's 5G hardware and accompanying source code, they found no evidence of malevolence.
January 28, 2019: US Department of Justice announces financial fraud charges against Meng
On January 28, 2019, the United States Department of Justice formally announced financial fraud charges against Meng Wanzhou.
March 2019: Huawei sues over NDAA 2019
In March 2019, Huawei filed a lawsuit over the NDAA 2019, alleging it to be unconstitutional because it specifically targeted Huawei without granting it a chance to provide a rebuttal or due process.
March 2019: Huawei files defamation claims
In March 2019, Huawei filed three defamation claims over comments suggesting ties to the Chinese government made on television by a French researcher, a broadcast journalist and a telecommunications sector expert.
April 2019: Establishment of Huawei Malaysia Global Training Centre
In April 2019, Huawei established the Huawei Malaysia Global Training Centre (MGTC) at Cyberjaya, Malaysia.
May 2019: Data Leak from Huawei Mediapad M5
In May 2019, a Huawei Mediapad M5 belonging to a Canadian IT engineer in Taiwan was found to be sending data to servers in China without authorization, as the apps could not be disabled and continued to send data even after appearing to be deleted.
May 2019: Placement on US Entity List
In May 2019, the United States Entity List barred American software technology companies from supplying ERP systems to Huawei, prompting the company to develop its in-house MetaERP solution over the following three years.
May 2019: Huawei added to Department of Commerce's Entity List
On 15 May 2019, the Department of Commerce added Huawei and 70 foreign subsidiaries and "affiliates" to its Entity List under the Export Administration Regulations, restricting US companies from doing business with Huawei without a government license.
June 2019: Huawei Cuts Jobs at Santa Clara Research Center
In June 2019, Huawei cut jobs at its Santa Clara research center.
August 2019: Huawei collaborates with Gentle Monster to release smartglasses
In August 2019, Huawei collaborated with eyewear company Gentle Monster and released smartglasses.
August 2019: Huawei hires law firm Sidley Austin to lobby in the US
In August 2019, Huawei hired the law firm Sidley Austin to lobby in the US after restrictions were placed by the Trump administration.
November 2019: Defamation Lawsuits Filed in France
In November 2019, Huawei initiated defamation lawsuits in France against a researcher, a TV presenter, and a production company, following the researcher's on-air statements asserting that Huawei was under the control of the Chinese state and the CCP.
November 2019: Huawei MatePad Pro Launch
In November 2019, Huawei launched the MatePad Pro, marking a significant entry into the tablet market. This was followed by subsequent releases in the MatePad tablet line, positioning Huawei as a leading brand in the tablet market.
November 2019: Huawei partners with Devialet and unveils the Sound X speaker
In November 2019, Huawei partners with Devialet and unveiled a new specifically designed speaker, the Sound X.
November 2019: Concerns over Huawei's Independence
In November 2019, the Chinese ambassador to Denmark linked Huawei's 5G expansion with Chinese trade during meetings with Faroese politicians, raising concerns over Huawei's independence from the Chinese government.
December 2019: Unveiling of Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) version 4.0
In December 2019, Huawei unveiled HMS (Huawei Mobile Services) version 4.0 as a solution to GMS (Google Mobile Services) for Android, aiming to provide similar features for app developers, including the Huawei AppGallery.
2019: Allegations of Backdoors
As of 2019, the United States had not produced evidence of coordinated hacking by Huawei, despite allegations that its products contain backdoors for Chinese government espionage.
2019: Members of the board of directors in 2019
As of 2019, the members of the board are Liang Hua, Guo Ping, Xu Zhijun, Hu Houkun, Meng Wanzhou (CFO and deputy chairwoman), Ding Yun, Yu Chengdong, Wang Tao, Xu Wenwei, Shen-Han Chiu, Chen Lifang, Peng Zhongyang, He Tingbo, Li Yingtao, Ren Zhengfei, Yao Fuhai, Tao Jingwen, and Yan Lida.
2019: Huawei is the second-biggest smartphone maker in the world
As of the first quarter of 2019, Huawei is the second-biggest smartphone maker in the world, after Samsung.
2019: Second Most Patents Granted by the EPO
In 2019, Huawei had the second most patents granted by the European Patent Office.
2019: Huawei reports revenue of US$122 billion
In 2019, Huawei reported a substantial revenue of US$122 billion.
2019: Huawei shifts position, refers to itself as a private company
In 2019, Huawei shifted its position on its company structure, with Dr. Song Liuping referring to Huawei as a "private company" when commenting on the US government ban.
2019: Ren Zhengfei Denies Espionage Allegations
In 2019, Ren Zhengfei stated Huawei's firm rejection of espionage and backdoor installations, even if required by Chinese law. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang affirmed that the Chinese government does not ask companies to spy.
2019: Henry Jackson Society Report on Employee CVs
In 2019, the Henry Jackson Society analyzed 25,000 Huawei employee CVs and discovered connections between some employees and Chinese state security, the People's Liberation Army (PLA), and a military unit accused of hacking US corporations.
2019: Questions raised about Huawei's business dealings with North Korea
Leaked documents obtained by The Washington Post in 2019 raised questions about whether Huawei conducted business secretly with North Korea, which was under numerous US sanctions.
January 2020: HMS Core Software Adoption
As of January 16, 2020, Huawei reported that 55,000 apps had been signed up to use its HMS Core software, indicating growing adoption of the Huawei Mobile Services ecosystem.
January 20, 2020: Extradition hearing for Meng begins
On January 20, 2020, the first stage of the extradition hearing for Meng Wanzhou began.
February 2020: US government claims Huawei has covert backdoor access since 2009
In February 2020, US government officials claimed that Huawei has had the ability to covertly exploit backdoors intended for law enforcement officials in carrier equipment like antennas and routers since 2009.
February 2020: US Department of Justice charges Huawei with racketeering and trade secret theft
In February 2020, the United States Department of Justice charged Huawei with racketeering and conspiring to steal trade secrets from six US firms.
February 2020: Lawsuit over NDAA 2019 dismissed
In February 2020, the federal judge dismissed Huawei's lawsuit against the NDAA 2019, concluding that U.S. Congress acted within its powers by including the restriction in the NDAA 2019.
May 27, 2020: Supreme Court of British Columbia orders Meng's extradition to proceed
On May 27, 2020, the Supreme Court of British Columbia ordered the extradition of Meng Wanzhou to proceed.
June 2020: France informs companies licenses for Huawei 5G equipment won't be renewed after 2028
In June 2020, ANSSI informed French telecommunications companies that they would not be allowed to renew licenses for 5G equipment made from Huawei after 2028.
June 2020: Threats over 5G Participation
In June 2020, when the UK mulled reversing an earlier decision to permit Huawei's participation in 5G, China threatened retaliation in other sectors by withholding investments in power generation and high-speed rail.
July 2020: UK Government bans Huawei 5G equipment
In July 2020, the United Kingdom Government announced a ban on the use of company's 5G network equipment, citing security concerns.
July 2020: New Zealand will not ban Huawei from the country's 5G network
In mid July 2020, Andrew Little, the Minister in charge of New Zealand's signals intelligence agency the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), announced that New Zealand would not join the United Kingdom and United States in banning Huawei from the country's 5G network.
August 2020: France assures Chinese government it did not ban Huawei products
On 28 August 2020, French President Emmanuel Macron assured the Chinese government that it did not ban Huawei products from participating in its fifth-generation mobile roll-out, but favored European providers for security reasons.
October 2020: Huawei releases Petal Maps in partnership with TomTom
In October 2020, Huawei released its own mapping service, Petal Maps, which was developed in partnership with Dutch navigation device manufacturer TomTom.
October 2020: Huawei fails to tackle security flaws
In October 2020, the National Cyber Security Centre reported that Huawei failed to adequately tackle security flaws in equipment used in the UK's telecoms networks, flagging a vulnerability of national significance. The report concluded that Huawei was not confident of implementing its five-year plan to improve its software engineering processes.
October 2020: Report on Collusion Between Huawei and Chinese State
On 7 October 2020, the U.K. Parliament's Defence Committee released a report concluding that there was evidence of collusion between Huawei and the Chinese state and the Chinese Communist Party.
November 2020: Huawei challenges UK government decision
In November 2020, Huawei challenged the UK government's decision to ban its equipment, citing an Oxford Economics report that it had contributed £3.3 billion to the UK's GDP.
November 2020: Telus Mobility Drops Huawei for 5G/Radio Access Network
In November 2020, Telus Mobility dropped Huawei in favor of Samsung, Ericsson, and Nokia for their 5G/Radio Access Network.
2020: Major Role in Building Africa's 4G Networks
By 2020, Huawei has had a major role in building approximately 70% of Africa's 4G networks.
2020: Huawei becomes world's top smartphone seller
By the second quarter of 2020, Huawei became the world's top smartphone seller, surpassing Samsung for the first time.
2020: Huawei Music partners with top African artists
In 2020, Huawei Music partnered with top artists in Kenya, Nigeria, and Africa, having them publish their playlists for listeners to rate and enjoy on the Huawei Music app.
2020: Sale of Honor Brand
In 2020, Huawei agreed to sell the Honor brand to a state-owned enterprise of the Shenzhen government to "ensure its survival" under US sanctions.
2020: Huawei agrees to sell the Honor brand
In 2020, Huawei agreed to sell the Honor brand to a state-owned enterprise of the Shenzhen municipal government.
2020: Most Patent Applications Published
In 2020, Huawei had 5464 patent applications being published during the year according to WIPO.
2020: Launch of Huawei Browser
In 2020, Huawei launched its browser, which was released in over 170 countries and is tailored for the HMS (Huawei Mobile Services) ecosystem. The browser is a fork of Chromium project.
2020: Huawei releases new MateBook laptop models
In 2020, Huawei released new laptop models in the MateBook series, including the MateBook X Pro and Matebook 13 2020.
2020: Shift to In-House OS for Huawei Watches
Since 2020, Huawei started releasing subsequent smartwatch models based on in-house operating systems, transitioning from LiteOS models to HarmonyOS models.
July 2021: Huawei hires Tony Podesta as a consultant and lobbyist
In July 2021, Huawei hired Tony Podesta as a consultant and lobbyist, with a goal of nurturing the company's relationship with the Biden administration.
September 2021: Release of MateStation S and X
In September 2021, Huawei released the MateStation S and X, marking its entry into the workstation and desktop PC market with All-in-one and Thin client PC offerings.
December 2021: Unveiling of AITO M5
In December 2021, the AITO M5 was unveiled as the first vehicle developed in cooperation with Seres under the Aito brand, which stands for "Adding Intelligence to Auto". The model uses Huawei DriveONE and HarmonyOS.
2021: Huawei did not report its ultimate beneficial ownership in Europe
In 2021, Huawei did not report its ultimate beneficial ownership in Europe as required by European anti-money laundering laws.
2021: Significant Shipment Increase
In 2021, Huawei saw a significant shipment increase of 83% compared to 2021, of Solar Inverters.
2021: Huawei ranked second-largest R&D investor globally
In 2021, Huawei was ranked as the second-largest R&D investor in the world by the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) and ranked fifth in the world in US patents.
2021: Honor devices still had not differentiated their software much from Huawei phones
In 2021, Wired magazine noted that Honor devices still had not differentiated their software much from Huawei phones and that core apps and certain engineering features, like the Honor-engineered camera features looked 'virtually identical' across both phones.
2021: Ranked 1st in PCT System Patent Applications
In 2021, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)'s annual World Intellectual Property Indicators report ranked Huawei's number of patent applications published under the PCT System as 1st in the world.
2021: Huawei's revenues drop by 32% due to international sanctions
In the third quarter of 2021, Huawei's revenues dropped by 32% due to heavy international sanctions.
May 2022: Huawei partnership with Leica ends
As of May 2022, Huawei partnership with Leica had ended.
May 2022: Canada to ban Huawei from its 5G network
In May 2022, Canada's industry minister Francois-Philippe Champagne announced that Canada will ban Huawei from the country's 5G network, in an effort to protect the safety and security of Canadians, as well as to protect Canada's infrastructure.
November 2022: FCC Ban on Huawei Equipment
In November 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned sales or import of equipment made by Huawei out of national security concerns. Other countries have also banned or restricted Huawei products.
December 2022: PEACE Cable Goes Live
In December 2022, the Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) cable went live with a design capacity of 16Tbit/s per fiber pair.
2022: Largest Producer of Solar Inverters
As of 2022, Huawei became the largest producer of solar inverters in the world with a 29% market share.
2022: Huawei revenue drops a further 19.7%
By the end of the third quarter in 2022, Huawei revenue had dropped a further 19.7% since the beginning of the year.
2022: Stephen Roach Statement on Lack of Hard Evidence
In 2022, Yale economist Stephen Roach stated that there was no hard evidence to support allegations of Huawei having a backdoor for industrial espionage, except for one arguable instance: the 2011 Vodafone incident.
2022: Charges against Meng Wanzhou dropped after detention in Canada
In 2022, the charges against Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's Chief Financial Officer, were dropped after she was detained in Canada for nearly three years.
2022: Comparison to Qatargate scandal
In March 2025, the corruption investigation involving Huawei in Brussels, Belgium, has drawn comparisons to the 2022 Qatargate scandal.
February 2023: Huawei Joins UNESCO Global Alliance for Literacy
In February 2023, Huawei joined the UNESCO Global Alliance for Literacy (GAL) as an associate member. Huawei partners with UNESCO's Global Skills Academy, which trains students through an online IT program to equip them with practical skills.
April 24, 2023: Launch of MetaERP
On April 24, 2023, Huawei launched MetaERP, a proprietary enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, developed after the United States Entity List of May 2019 barred American software technology companies from supplying ERP systems to Huawei.
September 2023: Announcement of Huawei Watch Ultimate Design
On September 25, 2023, Huawei announced the Huawei Watch Ultimate Design.
October 2023: Worldwide Release of Huawei Watch Ultimate Design
On October 4, 2023, Huawei released the Huawei Watch Ultimate Design worldwide.
2023: Leading 5G Equipment Manufacturer
As of 2023, Huawei is the leading 5G equipment manufacturer, holding the greatest market share and having built approximately 70% of worldwide 5G base stations.
2023: Telecoms-network equipment remains Huawei's core area of business
As of 2023, telecoms-network equipment remains Huawei's core area of business, which constituted half of its revenues for the year.
2023: Large-Scale Switching to MetaERP
Following the launch of MetaERP in 2023, the first large-scale switching was carried out in May 14 midnight, across Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Central Asia, Southern Africa, and Latin America. The business covers ICT and Huawei Cloud, alongside terminals and other industries.
2023: Luxeed Brand Introduction
In 2023, Huawei introduced the Luxeed brand, a premium EV brand in cooperation with Chery. The first vehicle under this brand is the Luxeed S7, an upcoming premium electric executive sedan expected to be unveiled in Q3 2023 and would be the first car to have the Harmony OS 4 system on board.
2023: Chinese government acknowledges NSA's hacking of Huawei
In 2023, the Chinese government officially acknowledged that the NSA's hacking of Huawei had occurred.
2023: Ranked 9th in Madrid System Trademark Applications
The Madrid Yearly Review ranked Huawei's number of marks applications filed under the Madrid System as 9th in the world, with 78 trademarks applications submitted during 2023.
January 2024: Huawei ends in-house lobbying operations in Washington, D.C.
In January 2024, Bloomberg News reported that Huawei ended its in-house lobbying operations in Washington, D.C.
January 2024: Netgear sues Huawei for antitrust violations, fraud, and racketeering
In January 2024, Netgear filed a lawsuit against Huawei, claiming the company broke United States antitrust law by withholding patent licenses, in addition to allegations of fraud and racketeering.
April 2024: Huawei is building or supporting the construction of five semiconductor fabs
As of April 2024, Huawei is also building or supporting the construction of five semiconductor fabs.
June 2024: Deadline to remove Huawei and ZTE 5G equipment in Canada
By 28 June 2024, Telcos will be prevented from procuring new 4G or 5G equipment from Huawei and ZTE and must remove all ZTE- and Huawei-branded 5G equipment from their networks.
June 2024: HarmonyOS installed on over 900 million devices; second most popular OS in China
On June 21, 2024, Huawei announced that HarmonyOS is now installed on over 900 million devices and has become the second most popular mobile OS in China.
July 2024: Opening of Biggest R&D Center
In July 2024, Huawei opened its biggest R&D center to date near Shanghai, designed to accommodate nearly 35,000 personnel.
November 2024: Huawei's AI Chip Production Plans
In November 2024, Huawei announced its plans to start mass-producing advanced artificial intelligence chips within the first quarter of 2025.
2024: Investment in Research and Development
As of 2024, more than half of Huawei's employees are involved in research. In the same year, Huawei spent $22.1 billion on R&D, around 22.4% of its net sales, being one of the six companies in the world to spend more than $20 billion on R&D spending.
2024: LEAP Summit 2024
At the LEAP Summit 2024 in Shanghai, Huawei announced a new goal of an additional 150,000 individuals in the Leadership, Employability, Advancement, and Possibility program (LEAP).
2024: iStore brand in Australia
From 2024 onwards, some of Huawei's solar products are also sold under the "iStore" brand in Australia.
2024: Huawei remains top patent applicant for the eighth consecutive year
In 2024, Huawei remained the top patent applicant for the eighth consecutive year for patents filled under the PCT, with 6600 published applications.
March 2025: Corruption investigation involving Huawei in Brussels
In March 2025, Huawei became the focus of a corruption investigation in Brussels, Belgium, involving allegations of bribery targeting the European Parliament.
March 2025: Huawei lobbyists banned from accessing the European Parliament
In March 2025, Huawei lobbyists were banned from accessing the European Parliament following the arrests of several Huawei staff accused of bribery, forgery, and money laundering.
April 2025: European Commission announces it "shall not meet with any lobby groups and/or trade associations that represent Huawei's interests and/or speak on its behalf"
In April 2025, the European Commission announced that it "shall not meet with any lobby groups and/or trade associations that represent Huawei's interests and/or speak on its behalf" in response to the investigation.
May 2025: Huawei's access to European Parliament suspended
In May 2025, the lobby organization SolarPower Europe removed Huawei as a member. That same month, Parliament suspended Huawei's lobbyists access to premises in Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Brussels, while the European Commission halted any meetings with groups representing Huawei.
June 2025: Court denies Huawei's request to dismiss 2018 federal indictment
In June 2025, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly in New York denied Huawei's request to dismiss most of a 2018 federal indictment in U.S. v. Huawei Technologies Co et al..
2025: Huawei Market Share in China
As of 2025, Huawei is the largest smartphone vendor in China with an 18.1% market share.
2025: Deadline for accelerated purging of Huawei equipment from Britain's telecom infrastructure
By 2025, the British Defence Select Committee concluded that Huawei had "engaged in a variety of intelligence, security, and intellectual property activities" despite its repeated denials and supported accelerated purging of Huawei equipment from Britain's telecom infrastructure.
2025: Planned mass production of AI chips
In November 2024, Huawei announced its plans to start mass-producing advanced artificial intelligence chips within the first quarter of 2025.
2028: Licenses for Huawei 5G equipment not renewed
After 2028, French telecommunications companies would not be allowed to renew licenses for 5G equipment made from Huawei.
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