IT Home: Report suggests mobile phones will temporarily lack offline communication features

Chinese technology publication IT Home has reported that offline communication functionalities, such as Huawei's "Changlian" feature, will be temporarily unavailable on all brands of mobile phones starting this year. This technology allows for communication without a traditional cellular network connection.

Huawei initially introduced its offline communication capability, termed "Changlian," last year, notably featuring it with the launch of its Mate 80 series. The feature has since been available on a select range of devices, including specific models within the Mate X7, Pura 80, and nova 15 series.

The development came to light when a user inquired about the absence of this feature on the Huawei Pura 90 Pro Max. According to a disclosure attributed to a prominent tech blogger, the decision to suspend this functionality will affect all brands temporarily. The specific reasons for this discontinuation have not been officially stated, but it suggests potential technical or regulatory hurdles.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has previously mentioned "network-free communication" as a developing technology in its "14th Five-Year Plan" for the information and communication industry. The plan aims to establish a comprehensive and leading next-generation communication network by 2030, which includes promoting new technologies like eSIM and offline communication.

This temporary removal could impact product development roadmaps for phone manufacturers and user expectations regarding future device capabilities. Further announcements are anticipated as more information becomes available from manufacturers and regulatory bodies.