With no clarity yet on whether it can use Google's Android operating system in its future devices, Huawei is shifting its focus on the growing wearables and hearables segment, where Apple is a clear leader. In a press briefing held today, the Chinese technology giant said it wants to bring a new portfolio of products powered by the new Huawei Kirin A1 chipset. First announced at IFA 2019, Kirin A1 is a dedicated chipset designed for wearables and hearables. The mobile processor is even smaller than the Apple H1 and when it comes to performance, Kirin A1 chipset promises 50 per cent lower power consumption and 30 per cent lower latency than its previous versions. It boasts the latest Bluetooth Low Energy 5.1, as well as Bluetooth 5.1 for greater range and solid connections. While the company did not confirm which Kirin A1-powered products will hit retail shelves first, it is anticipated that both Freebuds 3 and Watch GT2 will eventually come to India. Out of these, the FreeBuds 3 are an alternative to Apple AirPods Pro. The truly wireless earbuds feature adaptive noise cancellation, fast charging tech, four hours of battery, and an additional 20 hours with the case included. The Huawei Watch GT 2, on the other hand, is a smartwatch that competes with Apple Watch Series 5 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. Available in two sizes, the watch has the rounded case with curved glass with a 1.39-inch AMOLED screen. Like the previous-generation Watch GT, the Watch GT 2 uses a proprietary Huawei operating system, not Google's WearOS. The Watch GT 2 is basically geared towards fitness and wellness. It can track 15 different sports including running, walking, climbing, hiking, trail running, cycling and triathlon, among others. Huawei has already announced the next-generation mobile chipset Kirin 990, but uncertainty remains over the future of the company’s smartphone plans in India, which is the world's second-largest smartphone market. As a result of the trade ban implemented by US president Donald Trump earlier this year, Huawei is delaying the launch of the flagship Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro in India. Both phones do not run Google's Android mobile OS due to a trade ban. Instead, they come with something called the Huawei AppGallery, and runs on the EMUI 10 and Android Open Source Project (AOSP).
