Huawei Japan Terminal Business Top Mr. Yang Zhao talks about the future of the "1 + 8 + N" strategy and new products. "Aiming to provide excellent experience value like no other" --PHILE WEB

Today, April 20th, new products such as Huawei's completely wireless earphone "HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i" and smart band "HUAWEI Band 6" have appeared on the Japanese market. These products are the "8" of the company's "1 + 8 + N" strategy to promote a seamless connected life. Strengthening cooperation with products in eight genres is also being promoted, centering on smartphones defined in "1". This time, we interviewed Mr. Yang Tao, who is the leader of the Japanese market in the consumer terminal business of the company. With the spread of the new coronavirus, people's lifestyles have changed significantly and economic activities have been greatly affected. In June 2020, Mr. Yang was appointed President of the Japan-Korea Region of Huawei Devices. In the interview, he looked back on the year and talked in detail about the new products that appeared this time and the future development in Japan.

Interview with Yang Tao, Region President of Huawei Device Japan / Korea ■ 2020 is "a year in which we strongly felt the convenience of technology in a difficult situation" --- The other day, Huawei's 2020 financial report Was announced, and both sales and net income increased, especially in the Chinese market. How was the movement in the Japanese market? Mr. Yang Tao (Yang Tao): 2020 was a difficult year for Huawei, but the Group as a whole was able to achieve higher sales and profits. The reason for the growth in the China region is that despite the corona vortex, production and economic activities have resumed ahead of the rest of the world, and I think that we have achieved rapid growth in our home country. In each country, we are able to operate our business in a stable and sound manner. We are developing a wide range of businesses in the Japanese market. First, we are promoting standardization efforts in collaboration with various industries in fields such as the telecommunications business, the provision of telecommunications equipment for Japanese corporations, and the provision of various services. In the consumer business, we are proud to have provided innovative devices. Under such circumstances, last year we further promoted the "1 + 8 + N" strategy, and from the development centered on product groups such as smartphones and mobile routers, there are many terminals such as completely wireless earphones, smart bands, tablets announced today. We were able to launch it in the Japanese market. Under these efforts, we have achieved a more balanced business development in the Japanese market, and we would like to continue to offer a wide variety of innovative products to everyone. --- As you mentioned at the beginning, in 2020, the way society and lifestyles changed drastically around the world, and it became a difficult situation for any business. In such a difficult situation, you were appointed as the region president of Japan and South Korea. What kind of year was 2020 for you? Mr. Yang: Well, looking back on 2020, it was my first year as president, and I personally think it was an exciting and challenging year. I also think that I was blessed with various opportunities. Last year, when the influence of the corona caused a special situation, the lives and lifestyles of people all over the world changed. In such a change, I think that by utilizing Huawei's innovative technology, we could have contributed to your life in some way. I myself have been able to strongly feel the convenience that technology brings over the past year. Last year I never returned to China and haven't been able to meet my parents for over a year. I've been communicating over the phone so far, but I still want to talk face-to-face. Of course, video calls are possible, but my parents are old and not accustomed to operating smartphones. Therefore, recently, I bought a smart TV at my parents' house and started to communicate through the TV screen. If you use a TV, you can feel closer to the other party over the call with a large screen and clear images. Also, parents can easily operate it and make video calls easily. This is one of the big changes for me, and I deeply realized its value through these new and convenient experiences. He himself strongly realized the change in life in the corona vortex and the convenience and value brought about by technology. Even in Japan, it became difficult to continue to refrain from going out and return home, and new family communication using online calling The shape has spread. I feel that the convenience provided by various devices such as smartphones is extremely important in a changing lifestyle. Mr. Yang: That's right. I believe that the value of a product lies in its innovation, new technology, good quality, and the user experience it brings. No matter how cutting-edge and high-quality it is, it must be easy for many users to use. For that purpose, a lot of techniques are required. For example, in the video call I mentioned earlier, I use a Huawei smartphone to make a call. Smartphones come with a high-resolution camera lens, but high processing power is required to deliver high-quality images through this camera to parents at home. The voice is the same, and it is important to pick up the voice and deliver it clearly. It is not so difficult to increase the functions themselves, but it is very difficult to develop the technology to realize a great experience through the functions. Mr. Yang explained the video call with his parents with photos. Huawei is developing various products in the Japanese market, which enables clear video and audio communication with distant families using the excellent technology of Huawei smartphones. For example, smart watches and smart bands are one of the devices that can play an active role now that health management is more important. We have also focused on enhancing functionality, and we are also expanding our lineup of mobile routers. I think we were able to produce results not only in smartphones but also in various product groups. We would also be happy if we could contribute to and provide convenience to everyone's lives through such a wide range of developments. ■ Aiming to realize an "excellent experience unlike any other" with Huawei products --- What was your impression of the Japanese market? Also, have there been any changes since you came to Japan? Mr. Yang: Before coming to Japan, I knew that Japan was a well-competitive and mature market, and that many users had high demands on their products. In order for Huawei to succeed in such a market, we believe that four points are necessary: ​​"high quality," "innovation," "providing good service," and "brand power." Since I actually came to Japan, I have been able to deepen my understanding. Therefore, I am proud that all the products released in Japan are innovative, competitive, and bring about an excellent experience, and I think it is important for them to realize the difference from other companies. I am. When I introduce a new product, I try various functions for myself and check "Is it possible to have an excellent experience unlike any other?" --- You still wear smart bands on your left and right arms. Is this a new product announced? Mr. Yang: Yes, I always carry the old model with me and compare the functions. Prices are different, but we're looking at where the benefits of Huawei products are within each price range. The newly announced "HUAWEI Band 6" is proud to be the most competitive in this price range. In addition to its versatility, the larger screen makes it easier to utilize those functions. In addition, it is equipped with a long-time battery that can be used for two consecutive weeks on a single charge, and is designed to be extremely light. Therefore, you can sleep while wearing it as it is, and you can use functions such as sleep monitoring function and heart rate measurement without interruption. There are also many other healthcare functions. I like "breathing training". It is convenient when you feel stressed and frustrated, and it is useful for mental adjustment. I also especially like sports and fitness features. I usually enjoy running, but "HUAWEI WATCH FIT" has 12 types of instructor modes, and it is easy to warm up in advance according to the movement of the virtual instructor displayed on the band screen. You can do it. "HUAWEI WATCH FIT" is equipped with 12 types of instructor modes Until now, the smartphone app had an instructor function to explain these correct movements, but now it is a single band. Is possible. It's hard to get out because of the corona vortex, but I think it's also useful when you want to exercise. There are many other functions that I would like to recommend, such as the "one-hop function" that allows you to display a photo taken with your smartphone on the dial (* available on Huawei smartphones that support EMUI 10.1 or higher and NFC). .. In addition to the "HUAWEI Band 6" and "HUAWEI WATCH FIT Elegant Edition" introduced today, we have introduced the tablets, smart bands, and completely wireless earphones announced today in detail. A new product has arrived. The completely wireless earphone "HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i" is an entry-class product with a noise canceling function that can be said to be indispensable now, and the price is 10,000 yen or less, which is a very cost-effective product. Mr. Yang: "HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i" is a 4th generation product, and I think the first point of ease of use is that it has a good design. There are 3 colors available, and the shape has been devised for a comfortable fit, which I personally like very much. The adoption of red, which is said to be "auspicious" in China, has a major feature of the noise canceling function, which also has the meaning of prosperity, and also has the function of capturing external sounds. We have also developed the voice quality during calls without compromise, and the two microphones quickly recognize the voice, suppress noise and wind noise, and deliver very clear voice to the other party. And the ability to play music, which is the essence of earphones, also realizes a well-balanced sound from bass to treble. Tuning can be automatically adjusted to play the best sound to the music that is popular with young people. Although it is 10,000 yen or less, it is equipped with high call quality and audio performance in the noise canceling function, and it shows confidence that it is a highly competitive model. We are proud that it is a highly competitive model in the price range of 10,000 yen or less. I think it's a very good product, but Japan is a particularly competitive market for audio, so I always have to learn. We would like to continue to provide highly price-competitive models that are convenient for users, have good quality, and are excellent in terms of functionality. ■ Many new products are planned for 2021. "I want to announce a completely new system and product." --- In terms of convenience, I heard that HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i will also support the iOS version of the operation app "HUAWEI AI Life." The iOS version of "HUAWEI AI Life" has been supported since FreeBuds Pro announced in November last year. Is there any plan to support past models? Also, will the cooperation between Huawei products as well as the combined use with smartphones and devices of other companies become more important in the future? Mr. Yang: We have plans to support iOS apps. For FreeBuds 4i, I think we can do it in a few months. And, of course, I think that connectivity with other companies' products is also important. Providing a better experience linked with multiple products, which we call "all scenarios", as well as the experience of a single product, will lead to the realization of a seamless connected life aimed at by the "1 + 8 + N" strategy. I think. Experience of linking various products "All scenario" includes not only the value between Huawei products but also the value by connecting with other companies'products. The product corresponding to "8" announced today is of course connected with other companies' products. We also ensure sex, and the "N" in "1 + 8 + N" refers to connected devices developed by partner companies. Therefore, I would like to promote a seamless connected life with "all scenarios" at the strategic level in cooperation with not only Huawei but also other companies. --- In addition to connectivity with other companies' products, I think it is essential to enhance the app store "HUAWEI App Gallery" in order to enjoy the product even more. What kind of measures are you thinking about HUAWEI AppGallery? Mr. Yang: HUAWEI AppGallery has grown rapidly over the last year. To date, 2.3 million developers have registered and 120,000 apps are available for download, making it the third largest app market in the world. Of course, compared to the top markets, the number of apps is still small, but we will continue to expand it in the future. For example, by registering apps that users want in the HUAWEI AppGallery that are not yet in the HUAWEI AppGallery, we are promoting the development of apps in the HUAWEI AppGallery based on those data. increase. In addition, we are trying to provide a "different experience" in collaboration with app developers. In the example of the Japanese market, it is an application to watch music videos, and normal videos are lined up on YouTube etc., and if you scroll and play the video you want to watch, only the video being played will be displayed on the screen. However, it is possible to split the screen and play the video on the right side and display the song list on the left side. Through these efforts, HUAWEI AppGallery will be able to provide a different experience, and we believe that it will be beneficial for partner companies that develop unique functions. We plan to further enhance it in 2021. --- Finally, a new product has just appeared. Please tell us about the future development of 2021 to the extent possible. Mr. Yang: Of course, we have plans for new products, including smartphones. In the near future, we plan to release a completely new system and new products for using that system within a few months. We are planning to introduce many new products in the latter half of the year, so please look forward to it. --- Thank you.

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