Huawei's two-hour Honor 3X press conference ended, but the atmosphere inside China Star (HX Tech) felt… heavy.
The phone was strong.
Stronger than Haifeng had expected.
The Kirin 810 Chip Hits Hard
Huawei's HiSilicon Kirin 810 couldn't beat China Star's Azure Dragon 810 in raw power.
But it excelled in power consumption and heat control
Plus, it included Huawei's world-class communication tech
That meant the 4G signal strength on the Honor 3X was significantly more substantial than the Star Series.
Performance was close, but user experience? It felt smoother.
The Honor 3X also packed serious specs:
13MP rear + 8MP front camera
3000mAh battery
Infrared blaster
5.5-inch LED display
Metal frame + plastic back
It was well-rounded and ready to dominate overseas markets, too.
Full Power Launch
Haifeng could tell that this phone wasn't just a product but a declaration of war from Huawei.
They'd poured everything they had into the Honor series. Even CEO Ren himself was betting on it.
Huawei wasn't holding back.
It was coming for the online market throne.
Aggressive Pricing
Three Honor 3X variants launched:
2GB + 16GB → 1,799 RMB (≈ $248)
2GB + 32GB → 1,999 RMB (≈ $275)
2GB + 64GB → 2,499 RMB (≈ $344)
For the specs? These prices were cutthroat.
Even Liu Jianyu—head of the Star Series—felt the pressure.
"President Lu, this phone will hurt us in the budget segment."
The Star phones had more potent processors and a better OS, but the difference wasn't massive.
In photography, battery, design, and signal strength?
Honor had them beat.
Counterattack Strategy
Haifeng understood the risk.
"We'll do what Lei Jun did. Cut prices."
"Let's see who has the lower cost structure."
Huawei would swallow the entire market under 2,000 RMB if they didn't respond.
But Zhang Yu raised a concern:
"Won't cutting prices upset current customers? Especially those who just bought in the second wave?"
Valid point.
So Haifeng compromised.
The Plan:
Lower the price of Star Series phones by 200 RMB (≈ $27.52)
Offer previous buyers a 200 RMB voucher or phone card, valid for one year
It was a smart move—preserving brand loyalty while staying competitive.
Liu Jianyu left immediately to implement the pricing update on the company website.
Midnight Madness
At midnight, the Honor 3X officially went on sale.
Huawei had 2 million units prepped and ready.
And by 12:30 AM?
The website displayed only two words:
"Sold Out."
Two million phones have gone in under 30 minutes.
The Honor 3X didn't just outsell the Star Series—it beat Xiaomi, too.
Huawei had made its move.
And this time, it hit hard.