Huawei’s Culture Of Innovation Is Paying Off In The Philippines

It’s proving to be a winning formula in the country

It’s undeniable that Huawei has made big gains in the Philippines this year. According to data from research firm GfK, the company has managed to slip into the #3 spot in terms of market share in the Philippines last month, and that’s before the gains of their Nova 3 and Nova 3i sales factored in. Huawei’s seemingly meteoric rise in the country mimics their success in their home region of China, where they are currently the top player in that particular cut-throat market, displacing rivals like Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo.

George Li, country Head of Huawei Consumer Business Group for the Philippines credits a bulk of their success to Huawei’s culture of innovation, and their strong offerings in the mid-range market. The company prides itself on integrating technologies and features that are usually found in high-end devices into mid-range phones, like AI tech and the beautiful glass treatments in their devices.

“People are becoming more aware of Huawei because of our continued innovation and marketing strategies. If you look at the Nova 3i closely, it looks like a premium phone and you wouldn’t notice that it is a midrange phone. Normally, if you buy a device that has the same price, you’ll get a phone with one camera, low specs, plastic design so on and so forth but with Huawei Nova 3i, you get to have a metal and glass body design, trendy colors, and a four-camera that has AI capabilities,” he said during an interview in the company’s Customer Solution Integration and Innovation Experience Centre in BGC.

Huawei Nova 3i Unboxing, Review: An Heir to the Mid-Range Throne?

Huawei’s commitment to R&D is no joke. The company has already invested a total of $62.5 Billion on R&D in the past 10 years and spent a record $13.8 billion on R&D last year putting them at the top of the pile in terms of spending. The company has around 16 research and development hubs around the world, and the company invests around 10% of its annual revenue to R&D. Li credits their gains in the Philippine market and the company’s global rise to their relentless pursuit of innovation. Strategic partnerships with brands like Leica has also allowed the company to penetrate the high-end segment and compete with the offerings of Apple and Samsung.

Despite their success, Mr. Li is still looking to expand Huawei’s reach in the Philippines. He knows that there’s still a lot of work to be done to spread the gospel of Huawei and the benefits of their tech.

“Last year, our market value is just 5% but as of June 2018, our market value is now 14.8%, and success came from the P and Nova series. In the whole Luzon area, Huawei is now number two in market value surpassing Oppo and vivo – this is why we target to open more business hubs in Visayas and Mindanao to reach more people and consumers,” he said.

One of the key strategies Mr. Li is eyeing is the addition of more concept stores around the Philippines. Right now Huawei has 77 concept stores around the country, which is short of the 130 that they’re targeting for the archipelago. Having more concept stores in strategic locations like malls allow more customers to touch and feel live devices, giving customers a first-hand experience of Huawei’s tech.

“Firstly, the main concept of Huawei technology is to give out the best technology. We are driven with technology and product. While we focus on technology and innovation, we are also doing marketing to let people know and understand the product even more. In the Philippines, we will put more investments in concept stores,” he said.

And if you’re thinking of picking up the Galaxy Note 9, Mr. Li has some choice words for you.