Huawei Jim Xu, a big response to the Mate 20 series

On November 30, the release date of the Android smartphone flagship model "HUAWEI MATE 20 Pro", Jim Xu, Vice President of Huawei's Consumer Business Group, came to Japan and a group from press officials.I responded to the interview.

In this article, I will tell you the pattern.

――HUAWEI MATE 20 series has been released overseas, but how is it?Please let me know if there are any interesting numbers and sales methods.

Jim Xu Mate 20 was announced in London in October and a month and a half, but it has increased significantly compared to Mate 10.Compared to a generation ago, it is increasing at 3 to 5 times in many countries.We can recommend products with very confidence.I think it will reach 10 million units in total.In March of this year, the P20 series was announced in Paris, and the Mate 20 series was announced in October, and each time it was very positive from the media and consumers.Many media have been evaluated as the best smartphone this year.

――Please tell us about the results and issues that look back on the past year.

Mate 20 is the most innovative product among Jim Xu's consumer business group.It has been recognized by consumers in the flagship model, and the sales volume of flagship models has doubled compared to the same period of the previous year overseas.That is the sale of middle class and low -end models.The number of shipments has increased by 50 % in various countries.I think the annual smartphone is shipped over 200 million units.I was able to leave a very good achievement on both smartphones and tablets.It is widely accepted by consumers in Japan and is evaluated as the best Android tablet in other areas.In addition, PC products are also available.Next year we will provide more models to this market, and we will further expand our investment in R & D.Other wearable devices, such as smartwatches, wristbands, and IoT products, are all scenes for individuals and homes.As an important category of Huawei in the future, we will continue to expand our investment.

―― Although the US government has been refused to enter by name.

Jim Xu I would like to say that Huawei products are provided in 170 countries and have the top 500 large companies as customers.In addition, the number of consumers sells terminals to 300 million people.I think this number will be a proof that Huawei products will be liked and trusted by many people in the world.Some areas cannot sell products, but if the conditions are allowed, we also want to enter this market.In any case, we have a consistent decision to provide the best products, experiences, and services for consumers.

―― (Consumer Business Group CEO) Richard You also set the goal of pulling out Samsung and became the first place, but the US market is quite large, so it's about to be the first place without it.Which is trying to capture?

Jim Xu does not set a clear goal that we will be the first place.The first place is just a result, not a goal.The goal is to create a product that really likes consumers to meet the needs of high quality, good service, and good experience.I think this has come to a reasonable place, but I think that retail, after -sales service, and user experience must be improved.

This time, I came to Japan and wanted to study a lot from the Japanese retail industry.I came to get hints about how to improve the operating ability and efficiency related to retail.The goal is to provide services to consumers.If you can concentrate on making products seriously, do the service well, and improve your retail experience, you will be able to like our products more and buy our products.This is our real goal.

――Is the challenge still retail or aftercare?Are there any other areas you want to challenge?

Jim Xu As we have noticed, even if you make a lot of products, I think that there is still a big opening if you incorporate consumer needs.For example, the camera function of the smartphone is the best in the world.However, we believe that data can be exchanged quickly between smartphones and personal computers, from easy editing, managing, sharing, and saving these photos, and these are still long.You can still transfer photos from your smartphone to your PC, but it's not easy to see the projector.Because it is from a different company.It is difficult to put the photos taken on the big screen immediately.For consumers, it is difficult to make all the products for Huawei, so we want to provide an open protocol that can be connected to all the equipment in the house or office.However, it has not yet reached that.Huawei has been working on HILINK, but in Japan it has not yet developed it.I think there is still a big opening until consumer needs are fully satisfied.

――Is it recently said that iPhone has stopped selling worldwide, but do you think it is a chance for Huawei?If high -end terminals cannot be sold, do Huawei have to change their strategies?

Jim Xu I think you're talking about Japan, but the iPhone is still selling in the Chinese market.I don't pay much attention to the iPhone sales status.After all, it is very expensive, and we do it in a price range that can not reach, so we will try to increase the user experience with existing users, and make it easy to switch from iOS to Android.I think we have to provide it.When I wanted to switch from iOS to Android, I wanted to move photos and phone books, and now I can transfer data very easily.By providing these solutions, consumers will have many options.

――This year, P20 Lite sold well in Japan, but which model sold the most overseas?Is there a difference in the tendency of the selling model?

Jim Xu Most of Europe has more than 20 % in our country.In some countries, it exceeds 30 %.In these areas, Lite of the middle range product, the P series, has the most volume.In some countries in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia -Pacific, low -end entry models are the largest volume, and the trends vary from country to country.The high end is very volume in the Japanese market.In fact, it is equivalent to the amount of British and Germany.We believe this will be a great growth for us.

――Are you satisfied with the difference in sales for each model?Which range do you want to extend the product in the range?

Jim XU For overseas, we will continue the lineup of high -end, middle range, and low end.The needs of consumers are also different.However, for ourselves, we want to increase the number of high -end as the next step.The trigger for consumers to recognize the brand is the only one that begins with the high end.Huawei is a technical company that invests a lot of research and development.Last year's R & D has reached $ 12 billion, and this year will increase further.This year, I would like to install the technical capabilities that have accumulated so far on high -end models.I want to create an image that Huawei's innovative and technology is ahead.It is also a reason why high -end focuses from research and development to marketing.

――In Japan, it is expected that the terminal purchase assistance from the carrier will be eliminated, but will the high -end models sell properly?

Jim Xu our products will only be consumer -oriented.In the product portfolio, the middle range will be strengthened for the Japanese market.The high -end products are created and branded to make it innovative, as before, to understand the advanced technology.I would like to do middle range products without changing the goodness of cospa so that ordinary consumers can buy it.These product strategies will not change in the future.

――I've been focusing on AI processors since the end of last year, but how will AI be differentiated in smartphones in the next 3-5 years?

Jim XU's second generation smartphone is absolutely necessary to improve the experience with software besides the change in hardware, and I believe that this will be brought by AI.

First, in the coming years, voice recognition will be strengthened.Right now, there are so many apps, but I tap them all with my fingers and operate them.However, in the future, in cooperation with the cloud, through voice recognition, we will understand what the user is saying, and the user wants to move.This will definitely be realized.

The second is a function that connects consumer lives.You will be able to identify one product and associate all functions and sales.Different solutions will be provided to each person according to the needs of the product.AI will be applied widely in the future.

A few days ago, Mate 20 Pro was announced in Japan, but we demonstrated using AI.When I pointed the camera to the food, I could understand the calories, I identified things, fly to an online shopping site on the spot, and made a lot of progress compared to the past, but looking back from the future, I still have enough things.I don't think it's done.

――How do you do other than AI?

For Jim XU's hardware, we want to get closer to a higher -performance camera, video camera, etc.That way, reporters don't have to have heavy equipment (laughs).I think the growth is still large.It is also an important theme to make the smartphone battery better.A new product released by us a while ago, and the smart watch called Huawei Watch GT can actually be used for 14 days.These user experiences bring great value to consumers.This is the direction we work hard in terms of hardware.

――Mate 20 X corresponds to pen input.How do you work on handwriting?

Regarding Jim Xu Mate 20 X, it was a large screen terminal for pen input, but I was not confident that it would be sold in all countries as Huawei.First of all, you have to sell in China and do research.How consumers react to such a large screen and do you like it?For a large screen, for example, notes are difficult.You can also attach a game controller to both sides.In fact, the reaction in China is not bad.I tried selling it in Malaysia and Thailand, but the market reaction is reasonable.Therefore, I would like to continue to publish such products in the future.Next, I would like to try it out in Japan.

――In the Mate 20 series, a new NM (Nano Memory) card was adopted as a recording medium.Genuine smart view covers are also sold in Japan.I think that the development of the platform needs to cooperate with third -party and work with accessories, but how do you work on such partners?

Jim Xu I saw it at a shopping mall in Tokyo yesterday, but in Japan, accessories made by a wide variety of third -partys were sold.Overseas, there are not so many accessories.Again, we felt that we should try boldly.You have to increase the number of accessories with the third party.The smartphones themselves are the same and cannot be changed, but I think that by taking various accessories, you will be able to meet individual needs.This was a big harvest from coming to Japan.

――The P20 PRO was sold by DOCOMO monopolized, and Mate 20 Lite was sold for Bic Camera Exclusive Sales, but is it a common method overseas to prepare a dedicated model for each sales channel?

Jim Xu, rather, we would like to provide many products to partners.However, some of these partners choose products in the price range that suits them.For us, every product can be sold.However, since there are various partners in between, from manufacturers to consumers, what our partner chooses, only respects it.Those released in Japan will also be sold at an open market in Japan.

--thank you very much.