Xiaomi's announcement came in hot, with a heavy scent of gunpowder. They scheduled their press conference for the same time as Huawei. It was a declaration of war.
Even Blue Factory—usually quiet—jumped in. They scheduled a December 15 launch to commemorate their fifth anniversary.
In just 24 hours, the entire Chinese smartphone market had turned into a battleground.
Now netizens were asking: Which launch are you watching?
Huawei and Xiaomi both announced 7:00 p.m. launches on December 10.
Lu Haifeng couldn't ignore it.
Both companies still held significant domestic market share. And whichever direction they pivoted in, he needed to know it before they got there.
The problem was simple: He could only watch one launch live.
Haifeng thought it through.
Xiaomi was always entertaining. Lei Jun's stage presence guaranteed drama and memes. It was more than a press conference—it was a show.
But Huawei?
Huawei was different. Where Xiaomi excelled in integration and cost-performance, Huawei ruled the tech stack, especially in communications and silicon.
Huawei's launch would likely contain more real innovation.
In the end, Haifeng made the call:
Watch Huawei live. Catch Xiaomi's reply.
He couldn't afford to miss a potential leap from Huawei.
Xiaomi's tricks were flashy.
Huawei's strategy was strategic.
The moment the stream started, Huawei revealed what everyone expected:
This year's P-series flagship is the Huawei P8. Presented by Yu Dazui, their lead product manager. At first glance, the conference lacked Xiaomi's flair. But as Haifeng kept watching, he found himself nodding.
The P8 was no joke.
Specs Rundown:
Display: Near bezel-less full-screen. Top notch for the front cam. No buttons. 2K resolution.
Size: 6.1 inches—slightly larger than the Harmony X2.
Build: Aluminum alloy back panel—premium finish.
The only deviation from the Harmony X2? Huawei skipped the waterdrop cutout. It went with a classic notch.
But Haifeng wasn't worried about appearances. He only cared about the core parameters.
The cameras didn't impress.
Front: 12MP
Rear: 20MP
Huawei had opted for local sensors instead of partnering with global lens brands. Likely a cost-saving measure.
The real threat wasn't the optics.
It was the chip.
Enter: Kirin 910
Huawei's second-gen in-house flagship SoC from HiSilicon.
This was what made Haifeng lean in.
Process: 14nm (vs. 20nm in Kirin 810)
Performance Boost: 90% increase over last gen
Benchmark Scores: Estimated at 160,000+
That put the Kirin 910 just behind the Kunpeng A2, Apple A9, and Snapdragon 815—but ahead of anything else in mass production. And its power efficiency was staggering.
While others hit 45°C under stress tests, the P8's backplate only hit 40°C. In mobile thermals, that was a huge win.
Then came the surprise segment: Huawei live-streamed a call with a mountaineering team on Everest to show off the P8's signal strength.
Even at high altitude, the P8 held its connection. That wasn't flash—it was engineering.
Its baseband module was top-tier, far beyond standard chips on the market. Haifeng could only nod in respect.
Huawei wasn't playing around. They were cementing dominance in the communications layer.
As the event wrapped up, Haifeng was left with a few thoughts:
The Harmony X2 was still safe, positioned above the P8 in price and polish. The Harmony S2, now fading from shelves, wouldn't clash directly with the P8. But if Huawei pushed the Kirin 910 deeper into their stack? Then trouble was coming.
More efficient, in-house silicon meant lower prices with better margins. And the Qinglong 810—the chip Haifeng sold to the market?
It was no longer king. Kirin 910 had arrived. And Haifeng knew it.