Huawei launches Kunpeng 920 chip to bag big data and edge computing

Huawei has unveiled a new ARM-based CPU called Kunpeng 920, designed to capitalise on the growing euphoria building around big data, artificial intelligence and edge-computing.

The CPU was independently designed by Huawei based on ARMv8 architecture license, with the team claiming it improves processor performance by optimizing branch prediction algorithms, increasing the number of OP units, and improving the memory subsystem architecture. Another bold claim is the CPU scores over 930 in the SPECint Benchmarks test, 25% higher than the industry benchmark.

“Huawei has continuously innovated in the computing domain in order to create customer value,” said William Xu, Chief Strategy Marketing Officer of Huawei.

“We believe that, with the advent of the intelligent society, the computing market will see continuous growth in the future. Currently, the diversity of applications and data is driving heterogeneous computing requirements. Huawei has long partnered with Intel to make great achievements. Together we have contributed to the development of the ICT industry. Huawei and Intel will continue our long-term strategic partnerships and continue to innovate together.”

The launch itself is firmly focused on the developing intelligence economy. With 5G on the horizon and a host of new connected services promised, the tsunami of data and focus on edge-computing technologies is certain to increase. These are segments which are increasingly featuring on the industry’s radar and Huawei might have stolen a couple of yards on the buzzword chasers ahead of the annual get-together in Barcelona.

“With Kirin 980, Huawei has taken smartphones to a new level of intelligence,” said Xu. “With products and services (e.g. Huawei Cloud) designed based on Ascend 310, Huawei enables inclusive AI for industries. Today, with Kunpeng 920, we are entering an era of diversified computing embodied by multiple cores and heterogeneity. Huawei has invested patiently and intensively in computing innovation to continuously make breakthroughs.”

Another interesting angle to this launch is the slight shuffle further away from the US. With every new product which Huawei launches, more of its own technology will feature. In years gone, should Huawei have wanted to launch any new servers or edge computing products it would have had to look externally for CPUs. Considering Intel and AMD have a strong position in these segments, supply may have come from the US.

For any other company, this would not be a problem. However, considering the escalating trade war between the US and China, and the fact Huawei’s CFO is currently awaiting trial for violating US trade sanctions with Iran, this is a precarious position to be in.

Cast you mind back to April. ZTE had just been caught red-handed violating US trade sanctions with Iran and was subsequently banned from using any US components or IP within its supply chain. Should the courts find Huawei guilty of the same offence, it is perfectly logical to assume it would also face the same punishment.

This is the suspect position Huawei finds itself in and is currently trying to correct. Just before Christmas, Huawei’s Rotating CEO Ken Hu promised it’s supply chain was in a better position than ZTE’s and the firm wouldn’t go down the same route, while in the company’s New Year’s message, Rotating Chairman Guo Ping said the focus of 2019 would be creating a more resilient business. These messages are back up by efforts in the R&D team, such as building an alternative to the Android operating system which would power its smartphones should it be banned from using US products.

Perhaps the Kunpeng 920 could be seen as another sign Huawei is distancing itself from the US, while also capitalising on a growing which is about to blossom.