Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2018 shows a screen displaying the 5G technology at the booth of China's telecom giant Huawei during the 2018 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.(Photo: Xinhua)

Honor launched a range of new products during the Mobile World Congress 2022 (MWC 2022) in Barcelona, Spain on Monday, an indication of the Chinese smartphone maker's ambition of retaining its shares in the European market, while its domestic share sees signs of climbing steadily after the split from Huawei.

The MWC 2022 kicked off on Monday in Barcelona, and it will run through Thursday. It's the first time that the firm is participating as an independent brand.

Products the firm launched on Monday included the Honor Magic4 series, Honor Earbuds 3 Pro headphones and Honor Watch GS 3. The Honor Magic4 series is Honor's flagship product series that aims for the global high-end market.

Industry observers had a positive view of Honor's prospects after the global launch, saying that its high-profile comeback may erode Apple's market share in China, and retake Huawei's lost ground in both Chinese domestic and the overseas markets.

"Honor has experiences in overseas channel layouts, covering dozens of countries and regions, and the brand has owned a user base," Huang Haifeng, a veteran industry analyst, told the Global Times on Monday. 

It is standing on the same starting line with Samsung and Xiaomi, and there is no problem in the supply chains of software and hardware such as chips and mobile services, Huang added.

Huawei officially announced the divestment of the smartphone sub-brand Honor in November 2020. The sale included all the assets of Honor, and Huawei doesn't hold any stake in the new company.

Honor initially experienced what it described as a tough time, but it has now rapidly regained its place in China. In the fourth quarter of 2021, Honor recovered strongly, with a share of 17 percent, ranking second in the highly competitive domestic market following Apple's 21 percent, according to data from market research company Counterpoint Research.

Entering 2022, Honor is expected to continue its strong growth, driven by its new products, including the Honor 60 series and Honor Magic V, according to the report. 

Apart from Honor, about 50 Chinese companies, including telecom giants Huawei and ZTE and smartphone maker Oppo, are attending the MWC 2022, bringing a range of products to impress global consumers as Europe, which still serves a significant point for their overseas strategies despite geopolitical uncertainties. 

Global Times