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As per business registration platform Tianyancha, Shenzhen Hubble Technology Investment Partnership (Limited Partnership) — a subsidiary of Huawei, hereinafter referred to as “Hubble Investment” — has taken an equity stake in Chengdu Xin Zhao Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Xin Zhao”). Hubble has become the third-largest shareholder of Xin Zhao by subscribing approximately CNY 8.07 million, representing an 11.49% ownership stake.
Founded in 2019, Xin Zhao specializes in developing a range of high-tech products, including thin-film materials for sensor chips, solid electrolytes for lithium batteries, and oxide semiconductors for flexible displaysm, which are widely used in various sectors such as consumer electronics, automotive electronics, smart home, healthcare, military applications, and maritime emergency services.
Notably, Xin Zhao has achieved full-chain self-reliance and controllability in the field of ultrasonic fingerprint sensing — from materials, processes, and equipment to chips and modules — and has already realized mass commercial adoption.
As early as 2022, Xin Zhao made a significant move into ultrasonic fingerprint recognition technology, launching a CNY 2.4 billion investment project in Wangcheng Economic Development Zone in Changsha, Hunan Province. The project, planned in two phases, includes an annual production capacity of 90 million wafer and a TFT-based ultrasonic fingerprint recognition chip line in Phase I. Phase II will add an R&D headquarters, increase chip production capacity to 180 million units annually, and introduce production lines for 2 million in-car touch and sensor modules. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to generate an annual output value of CNY 3.2 billion.
Huawei’s Drive for Full Autonomy Across the Semiconductor Chain
In recent years, Huawei has ramped up investment in semiconductor companies to enhance its supply chain resilience and diversification. Hubble Investment, established in 2021, along with the earlier Hubble Technology (founded in 2019), forms the backbone of Huawei’s semiconductor investment ecosystem.
Through these two Hubble entities, Huawei has invested in over a hundred semiconductor-related firms, spanning key industry segments such as chip design, manufacturing, equipment, materials, and packaging and testing, specifically involving chip fields like RF chips, memory chips, analog chips, and optoelectronics — although Huawei has had little presence in ultrasonic fingerprint chips until now.
With the strategic investment in Xin Zhao, Huawei is expected to synergize ultrasonic fingerprint recognition with chip design (e.g., HiSilicon’s Kirin series) and computing platforms (e.g., Kunpeng and Ascend), further strengthening its capabilities for full-stack semiconductor autonomy.
Compared to optical under-display fingerprint recognition, ultrasonic fingerprint technology uses sound pulses to map a detailed 3D image of a fingerprint, offering higher accuracy and greater security. Due to its superior safety and easy-to-use experience, ultrasonic fingerprint sensing has become a standard feature in premium smartphones.
Currently, Qualcomm and Goodix lead the pack in ultrasonic fingerprint recognition field.
Qualcomm, as a global leader, has advanced its 3D Sonic Sensor technology to the second generation. Compared to the first-generation, the new version offers a 77% larger recognition area and a 50% improvement in scanning speed. According to Qualcomm China, several new smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform now feature the second-gen 3D Sonic sensors.
Goodix has carved out its niche in this filed with its self-developed CMOS sensor architecture that balances performance and cost. The company owns independent intellectual property rights for its ultrasonic fingerprint solutions. In 2024, Goodix’s sensors were widely adopted across major Chinese smartphone brands, including vivo, MIUI, iQOO, REDMI, and OnePlus, recording a shipment of over 8 million units. The company expects to expand its presence into more OEMs and smartphone models in 2025.
(Photo credit: Huawei)