On December 12, Xiaomi responded to Huawei's accusations of Yu Chengdong's "keel hinge" technology, saying that Yu Chengdong's remarks were seriously inconsistent with the facts, not only slandering Xiaomi's technology, but also misleading the public. This "plagiarism gate" sparked a war of words between Huawei and Xiaomi, which once again stirred up waves. Not long ago, there was a fierce controversy between the two sides in the evaluation report in the automotive field. From cars to smartphones, the competition between these two companies is becoming increasingly fierce, and it makes one wonder what kind of drama will come from this "new rival" showdown
Xiaomi's response to Huawei's Yu Chengdong's remarks about the "keel hinge" technology shows Xiaomi's firm confidence in independent research and development results. Xiaomi pointed out that Xiaomi applied for a patent for the "keel hinge" technology in September 2020, and put the related technology into commercial use earlier than Huawei. In addition, Xiaomi's "keel hinge" technology has completely different characteristics from Huawei's technology in terms of design and structure. The hinge technology of the folding screen plays a key role in the user experience, involving issues such as the number of folds of the screen and the depth of the creases, so it is highly contested by manufacturers in the high-end market. The debate between the two sides has escalated from a technical discussion to a war of words, and the most critical point of contention is "innovation". Both companies are emphasizing their technological innovation capabilities and first-mover advantages, as this is related to the company's brand image and position in the high-end market. Huawei's Yu Chengdong emphasized Huawei's innovation ability on different occasions and called on peers to abide by the principles of innovation, rather than imitation and plagiarism. Xiaomi said that it has made a new and innovative design in folding screen technology, and hopes that Huawei can respect the facts and not easily slander its peers. Although Huawei said in its spokesperson's response that it would not continue to fight back, believing that it was just a joke in the industry, the debate over patents and innovation has highlighted the emphasis on independent innovation and patent protection on both sides. This also indicates that the two sides will have more competition and competition in core technology.
Fundamentally, the dispute between Huawei and Xiaomi reflects a head-to-head battle between the two companies in the high-end smartphone market. As a brand known for its cost performance, Xiaomi has increased its investment in technology research and development in recent years, and has gradually developed into the mid-to-high-end market. Xiaomi has launched a series of independent innovation technologies, such as the one-inch sensor used in the Xiaomi 12sultra and the folding screen hinge technology of the Xiaomi mixfold3, which show Xiaomi's determination to move towards the goal of "manufacturing power". At the beginning of this year, Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, made it clear that Xiaomi's R&D investment will exceed 100 billion yuan in the next five years. At the recent Xiaomi 14 series press conference, he further pointed out that Xiaomi has transformed from an Internet company to a technology company, which will make Xiaomi mobile phones the epitome of technology. In contrast, Huawei, with its strong R&D capabilities, has grown into a significant player in the global smartphone market and occupies a leading position in the Chinese market. However, due to the impact of sanctions in the past two years, Huawei's smartphone business has slowed down. According to IDC, in the third quarter of this year, Huawei still won with 37The 1% market share continues to lead, but Xiaomi's market share has grown to 52%, a significant year-on-year increase. Xiaomi Mixfold3 shipments also saw a significant increase in Q3 compared to the previous generation. From the channel level, Xiaomi is also constantly improving its position in the high-end market. The Xiaomi store has tripled in size, with a richer product display and more intimate service. Xiaomi said that this reflects the company's determination to provide a high-quality experience to mid-to-high-end users. It can be seen that Xiaomi is committed to entering the mid-to-high-end market by vigorously investing in independent research and development and channel upgrades, and forming a head-to-head competition with Huawei, which has technology and brand advantages. This also made Huawei aware of the competitive pressure from Xiaomi. Although Xiaomi's performance is very strong, there is still a long way to go to surpass Huawei. On the whole, Huawei still has an advantage in terms of channels, and it is also ahead of its peers in R&D and technology accumulation. It is still very difficult to surpass Huawei in a short period of time. At the same time, this debate over folding screen hinge technology is just a small episode of two strong rivals competing against each other in the mobile phone market. The outlook for the foldable screen phone market remains uncertain, with a market share of only 1 in 2022, according to **2%。To develop the market structure, both Huawei and Xiaomi are facing major challenges. But it can be seen that in this market without Apple's participation, Xiaomi and Huawei are forming a real competitive relationship, which will prompt both sides to continue to break through innovation and product strength, and ultimately benefit consumers.
In the end, this controversy is just a manifestation of the determination of the two companies to compete for the right to speak and gain a foothold in the high-end market. Both Huawei and Xiaomi need to continue to work hard to stand out from the fierce competition. The outcome of this showdown will depend on the respective technical strength, product innovation and market performance. In any case, this competition will drive the development and progress of the entire smartphone industry.