Huawei banks on technology to bridge gap with Apple and Samsung

SHANGHAI - Chinese telecommunications and networking firm Huawei is banking on technology to reduce the gap with peers like Apple and Samsung in the highly competitive global smartphone market.

Despite being essentially barred from the critical US market, Huawei surpassed Apple to become the world's number two smartphone maker in the second quarter of this year and has market leader Samsung in its sights.

The company has achieved this in part by shifting its focus away from the US market and instead concentrating on gaining market share in developing nations with its moderately priced but increasingly sophisticated phones, analysts said.