Is Huawei the new Samsung?

How many people do you know with a Huawei smartphone in their pocket? And how many times have you heard someone say "I need a new phone, and I'm going for a Huawei!" It's a widespread phenomenon. Many of my friends and family have opted for one already. Why? There are several reasons.

In recent years, Huawei has shown what it's capable of: making quality devices that can meet user needs without an excessively large price tag. That's with the exception of the Mate 10 Pro Porsche Design, which has a price that reflects the excess which the Porsche brand is known for.

Huawei seems to have taken the features and most interesting ideas from its competitors and then integrated them into its devices at more competitive prices.

Little by little, Huawei has made its way into the pockets of users by taking advantage of its telecom experience. The first Huawei phones to hit the market looked like iPhone clones. The similarities didn't stop with the design, but extended to the software's user interface as well, however immature by comparison. Since these aspects of the Cupertino firm's devices were pleasing to users, why not use them? But it wasn't just Apple that Huawei looked to for inspiration. The aluminum body of the Mate S, for example, was reminiscent of an HTC. 

Huawei seems to have taken the features and most interesting ideas from its competitors and then integrated them into its devices at more competitive prices. Fears of it being just another unreliable Chinese brand have subsided over time. Meanwhile, the software has matured, its own Kirin processors have proven themselves, customer service capacity has risen to quell user fears and the first physical stores have opened their doors.

Huawei looks around at what's happening, seeks to understand its users and competitors, and looks to the future with a focus on innovation.

The brand then sought to get a step ahead of its competitors, for example with the P9, the first smartphone to offer a dual rear camera, a feature which is almost boring today. To give their offerings even more appeal, Huawei has decided to collaborate with experts like Leica for lenses, Porsche for the Mate Design range, Harman / Kardon for the four Mediapad M3 speakers, and Amazon's Alexa for the US version of the Mate 9. This intelligent strategy has helped to make up for Huawei's weaknesses and meet the needs of users thanks to the help of some well-loved brands.

And then there is marketing. In the streets you can see Huawei posters everywhere. On television and in magazines, Huawei brings in famous faces as ambassadors, like Lionel Messi from the sports world and the actress Scarlett Johansson. A bit like Apple, Huawei seems to be everywhere now.

The Chinese brand is diversifying its products and services, and offering not only smartphones and tablets, but also smartwatches, connected wristbands, cloud and IoT products in its collaboration with the University of Toronto, artificial intelligence, 5G and so on. Part of its profits are invested in research and innovation, which are carried out in various dedicated centers in different countries around the world.

Huawei looks around at what's happening, seeks to understand its users and competitors, and looks toward the future with a focus on innovation. It has made a name for itself in the market and this translates into customers marching into stores and asking for a Huawei smartphone confidently, without even considering the different models' or product lines' differences, much as is the case with strong brands like Samsung. In addition to flagships, the P Lite range has helped a lot, just like Galaxy J and A lines from its South Korean competitor.

Today, everyone knows Huawei. The brand has to stay on course, offering quality devices without increasing prices, and integrating the best technologies by anticipating trends and leading the market in the coming years. If it does this, Huawei could soon be the top smartphone brand in the world.