In this autumn's salvo of high-end smartphone releases, the official announcement of the Huawei Mate 2O range, starting with the Mate 20 Pro model, was eagerly awaited by Chinese manufacturer Huawei. Some of the rumours swirling around the web were confirmed at the official announcement on 16 October in London.
Four models were presented in this new range, namely the Huawei Mate 20 with its 6.53-inch screen, the Huawei Mate 20 X (featuring a 7.2-inch screen and going XXL, a new limited edition and its exclusive Porsche Design design), the Porsche Design Huawei Mate 20 RS and, finally, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, this last model with 6.39 inches being a concentrate of power and productivity for business travellers.
It's fast when it comes to working, accessing data and related apps, and it's fully protected without worrying about battery life or charging time. These features, typical of previous versions of Huawei premium phones, have been significantly boosted.
Like the other three models in the range, the star smartphone features the Kirin 980, Huawei's new processor. The result is greater power and fluidity, with the handset running the new version of Android 9 Pie. In terms of battery life, a new battery ensures two days of trouble-free operation, not to mention even faster charging than the previous Huawei Mate 10 Pro model, which already boasted impressive battery life and charging times.
But above all, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro has a novel feature, namely the ability to transform your smartphone into an induction charger. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro can be placed back-to-back with another out-of-breath mobile phone, which will then power its counterpart.
The new device boasts a larger 6.39-inch OLED screen with beautifully crafted resolution and curved edges, just like Samsung's Galaxy S9.
The back of the Huawei Mate 20 Pro features a triple photo sensor in the shape of a square, again in collaboration with Leica. It features a 40MP main lens, a 20MP ultra-wide-angle lens and an 8MP telephoto lens. As with video, the photo function is increasingly enhanced and supported by Huawei's own artificial intelligence tools. Examples of applications include automatic translation of foreign text photographed, and information about the element photographed, such as the number of calories in the food photographed, similar to the functions of the Google Pixel 3. Above all, the triple sensor enables a 3D scan of the object photographed, which can then be modelled, animated and made to evolve in augmented reality. Handy for professionals looking to showcase a new product.
Another sensor on the front of the device performs facial recognition using a 3D camera. The key is to unlock your mobile quickly. The security of your precious smartphone is also ensured by a fingerprint reader, now located under the screen glass.
Huawei has also worked on the design, with distinctive colours and a textured surface for a comfortable grip. All in all, this new ultra-premium smartphone is set to make its mark in a saturated high-end mobile market, with a host of innovative features that will prove useful in everyday life.
Rolls-Royce Mobile - Huawei Mate 20 Pro by Huawei
Screen: 6.39-inch Oled QHD+ (3120 x 1440 pixels)
Operating system: Android 9 Pie with EMUI 9 overlay
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Storage: 128 GB
Battery: 4200 mAh
Camera: triple rear camera (40MP (f/1.8), 20MP (f/2.2), 8MP (f/2.4), and 24MP front facial recognition sensor
Video recording: 4K
Connectivity: 4G+Wifi, BT 5.0; USB C connector
Price: from 999 euros
Availability: from 26 October
