Chinese smartphone makers looking to compete with Apple and Samsung Electronics globally are turning to Google for artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, but they face challenges such as a lack of differentiation and compelling use cases, according to analysts.
Advertisement
At MWC Barcelona this week, Xiaomi, Honor, Oppo and other Chinese handset vendors showcased their latest AI smartphones, emphasising features developed using Google’s Gemini model.
Targeting a global audience at one of the world’s largest technology trade shows, these brands all advertised capabilities such as “AI erasers” that can remove unwanted objects in photos and AI agents that can perform tasks like making restaurant bookings.
Chinese manufacturers chose to collaborate with Google because of the tech giant’s “full stack” capabilities, which cover apps such as YouTube, as well as hardware and infrastructure, according to Nicole Peng, research vice-president of consumer at Omdia and senior vice-president at Canalys.
“Many Chinese vendors realised that they needed a partner to move things forward overseas,” Peng said. “This is a move that follows Samsung’s collaboration with Google, instead of one towards differentiation.”
Advertisement
“There aren’t a lot of options at the moment,” she added. “Google is the biggest winner from this.”