After being pummeled by the U.S. for years, Huawei sets its sights elsewhere

It was two years ago at CES 2016 that Huawei launched its Mate 8 handset, along with two new smartwatches. The company was riding an incredible high at the time, gaining a little more recognition in the United States after manufacturing Google's Nexus 6P. Over the years, the firm has been aggressive in order to fulfill its goal of establishing a significant presence in the U.S.

Unfortunately, at the top of the year, the dream of entering the U.S. became a nightmare, as its rumored partnership with AT&T and Verizon dissolved amid pressure from the U.S. government. While Huawei was adamant that it would prevail in entering its most coveted market, it looks like things might have cooled for the company, as there are signs that it might be pulling back investments that were dedicated to making the moves happen.

At a presentation in China, Huawei announced its enhanced vision for the future, that not only includes its present business but also adds focus to areas like artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. Perhaps what was apparent though for those in attendance, was that the United States was no longer a part of this new vision.

According to the New York Times, the firm has retracted some of its efforts, "dialing back its political outreach in the United States". Recently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to go ahead with a plan that would limit the sale of Chinese companies telecommunication products in the U.S. This would not only affect Huawei but other firms as well. More recently, the events surrounding national security have become more intense, with ZTE being banned from buying parts from U.S. firms.

Huawei's stance on the situation was perfectly captured by a statement from Eric Xu, who is the firm's deputy chairman, who went on to say: “Some things cannot change their course according to our wishes. With some things, when you let them go, you actually feel more at ease.” Instead, the firm will focus its efforts in other parts of the world like Europe and Asia.

While this could prove fruitful, if those aforementioned areas take a stance similar to that of the U.S., there could be major problems for the firm. Despite its new ventures in AI and IoT, it hasn't abandoned its old business and will continue its ventures in telecommunications products, and is expected to deliver next-generation 5G equipment and even a 5G smartphone in 2019.

Source: The New York Times