Huawei has pulled off something really special to wind up 2018. The Chinese firm’s Mate 20 Pro is not just a spec-monster but also a techie’s dream come true. We are impressed by its in-screen fingerprint sensor, Leica triple camera set-up, battery life and reverse wireless charging.
We spoke to Wally Yang, senior product marketing director, Huawei Consumer Business group, about Mate 20 Pro and beyond.
What would you say is the biggest innovation on the Huawei Mate 20 Pro?
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is an expression of the Mate series’ DNA. As part of the most advanced smartphone series, it offers consumers a compelling combination of powerful AI, flagship performance, longer battery life, advanced security, a greater videography experience and more… all wrapped in a sophisticated design.
The phone has some distinctive hardware features that help it stand out from the cluttered and overly-crowded smartphone space. It features many industry-first features; the device is backed by the superior architecture of Huawei’s densest and highest-performing system on chip (SoC) to date — the Kirin 980 with dual NPU (neural processing unit) capabilities, manufactured using the 7nm process. The device houses a massive 4,200mAh lithium-silicon battery capable of wirelessly charging other wireless charging-capable devices. Another feather in its cap — the smartphone comes with the world’s first 40W Huawei super charger that can charge the phone’s battery to 70 per cent in 30 minutes.
The latest Leica ultra wide-angle lens is capable of not only taking wider shots but also closer ones with its new macro mode, allowing users to capture pictures from a distance of 2.5cm. The device has been rated IP68 for dust and water resistance.
Another big feature is that the EMUI 9.0 comes with HiVision, a software that allows the smartphone to recognise classical art, popular landmarks and can translate text of a range of languages to the language of choice.
What made you swap the monochrome sensor that’s found on the P20 Pro with a wide-angle system on the Mate 20 Pro?
Previously, due to limitations of technology, the main camera was not powerful enough. That is no longer the case. The CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor in the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is large enough to support a 40MP resolution and high-resolving power, so the monochrome sensor is not required. The new matrix camera module leverages the full capabilities of the Leica triple camera to deliver an outstanding, comprehensive photography experience.
Tell us about the textured back of the phone.
The unique textured back is completely resistant to scratches and fingerprints. The hyper-optical pattern provided on the emerald green Mate 20 Pro uses a complex hairline pattern to produce an iridescent effect, making the device highly durable. The device can retain a clean look even after being used extensively.
The features we see on phones today are the result of research that started 12 or 18 months ago.
At Huawei, we are riding ahead in the innovation curve and have always been focused on offering meaningful technologies that would ultimately enhance user experience. We think that voice and image processing will be the top two areas we want to embed into our phones. We are also developing a foldable, 5G-enabled smartphone that should be available in 2019. Huawei devices have resonated well with Indian consumers and we are looking at expanding our product portfolio.
What about 5G, which is something very close to Huawei?
5G is the next frontier in connectivity, and it is widely anticipated that the onset of the technology in the near future will eventually give way to new experiences and applications. We have been focusing on developing the 5G ecosystem. In fact, a lot of the work in this direction is underway at our R&D centre in Bangalore.
