It looks like there’s a sale coming for HUAWEI! The company’s online store is turning 6 this 29 April 2020. To celebrate, HUAWEI will be having flash sales and ongoing offers. You’ll be able to get items for as low as MYR0.60.
In addition to the low price, HUAWEI is also giving away a cash voucher worth MYR166 which can be put towards certain items during the one-day sale on the 29th. To get the voucher, you just have to have a registered HUAWEI online account and head to their official celebration page. Once you have it, you’ll be able to get one of the devices listed below. If MYR166 isn’t enough, you can get an additional MYR100 if you have the HUAWEI AppGallery installed on your device.
Product
Free Gift
Regular Price
Price with Voucher
HUAWEI MediaPad M5 Lite
N/A
RM 1,299
RM 1,133
HUAWEI M6
HUAWEI M-Pencil
RM 1,899
RM 1,733
HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro 5G
HUAWEI CP39s Wireless Car Charger and PU Leather Case
RM 4,199
RM 4,033
HUAWEI nova 5T
HUAWEI Band 4 (Black)
RM 1,399
RM 1,233
HUAWEI P30
HUAWEI Body Fat Scale
RM 1,999
RM 1,833
HUAWEI will also be having steep discounts on some of their devices during the one day sale. You’ll be able to get them at discounted prices. This applies to everything from smart bands to smartphones and laptops. Of course, these deals are only available while stocks last.
We started this journey over two weeks ago. We also switched to a HUAWEI P40 Pro review unit last week as an HMS test device on a full-time basis. Starting it up and starting afresh, we thought we might want to give the HUAWEI device the best chance it has to stack up against all the other Android devices we encountered. That is why, rather than loading it with the set-up we had on the HUAWEI Nova 7i, we went with Phone Clone to get it to clone a HUAWEI Mate 20X I owned.
The result of that was the transfer of more than just the apps we had on the HUAWEI Nova 7i. We had more than we bargained with Prime Video and Telegram ported in. We had Facebook and Instagram ported too, alongside some of our favourite games like Brawl Starts and PUBG Mobile. More about Phone Clone app and the HUAWEI P40 Pro in our in-depth review later though. Note that the HUAWEI P40 Pro is a review unit and it is due for a return soon. So we only have a limited time with HUAWEI’s latest photography king and switch back to the Nova 7i.
Phone Clone is The Way to Go
The point is you can still run Android apps on the HUAWEI’s EMUI 10. It is still an Android 10 device after all. Well, just be sure that everything runs nicely. We found that Instagram will not turn over on the HUAWEI P40 Pro. It could just be a device issue, but that is quite annoying to us. The upgrade also comes with a big step up in the camera of course. But that is not our focus today.
The focus today is to test it out as a daily driver for the week. We popped in the YES 4G SIM card we had for our review devices and its ready to roll. Okay, it is ready to somewhat roll.
Of course, we had our concerns with the apps. For one, there is now no official support for the apps. Where do we update the apps? How do we update the apps? If I’m transferring WhatsApp from my older device, do I use Gmail still? We may not be able to answer all the questions you and I have.
Right out of the box, if you did not use Phone Clone to copy your WhatsApp data over to your new HUAWEI device, you are going to lose everything. If you use Phone Clone and WhatsApp did not copy its complete data over, you lose everything. There is no carry over of backup data because HUAWEI cannot back up to Gmail now. It is like switching from an Apple device to Android device. That is kind of a bummer.
We found a solution to that though, from HUAWEI’s own community site. It is not the simplest instructions to follow, because there is a lot of navigation around restoring your WhatsApp data in your HUAWEI smartphone. If you want to give it try you can head to their website. It still works (sort of) on the HUAWEI Nova 7i and HUAWEI P40 Pro as well. So that should not be too big of an issue.
We found that installing Google Drive may not work as well, because you cannot actually sign into your Google account. That, and a lot of other Google apps. At least you get your WhatsApp chat history back, right? You have to jump through some hoops, yes; but it works.
We did not manage to get Netflix ported over, or even working for that matter. At least Amazon’s Prime Video works well though. We cannot tell if it is only streaming in HD quality or not, but it works at least, and that is now part of our entertainment.
The next challenge is to update the apps. For that, we started using APKPure and Aptoide. Mind you, you cannot get these two app markets on AppGallery too, so you have to download them from their respective mirror sites.
New in AppGallery
Since we last spoke about the AppGallery though, there has been some additions to the ecosystem. There are some new apps there and here. A lot of which, we are not concerned about. One of which, could be interesting for residents of Malaysia. The MySejahtera app developed by Malaysia’s ministry of health to keep yourself in check of your own health status in the COVID-19 situation now. Of course, during the Movement Control Order restrictions now, food is important, and you have Dahmakan app in the HUAWEI device anyway. Nope, no others so far. Not even Grab.
You could, theoretically get Grab working on your HUAWEI through Phone Clone as well. Again, there is going to be update issues later. But I guess we can cross that bridge when we get there.
Still, if you are going to rely on the AppGallery solely, Dahmakan is your best friend.
Quick Apps is a function that is on the HUAWEI AppGallery and a feature like no other. It is a sort of ‘pre-installed’ kit for devices with the AppGallery. They idea is that you can just access the Quick Apps gallery, pick the apps you want to use, and launch it without installing it. Where is it installed? In the cloud perhaps. But the essential point is that you can just use the apps as long as you are connected to the internet.
That is what the McDonald’s app is on the HUAWEI AppGallery, a Quick App. Of course, you need an active internet connection anyway for the app to work in the first place, so it does make plenty of sense. It also does not take up any space on your smartphone which is quite clever as well; a way to save storage space on your smartphone, if you might.
You can even add the app on your home screen so you can access it again anytime after your first visit. Just hit the app menu and add it to your home screen, very easy. We are not sure it is the most convenient way to discover an app though, because it is lodged very far down the AppGallery. You have to scroll all the way down to find the separate Quick Apps gallery.
Still, better than nothing right? There are plenty games within that gallery, none of which we play. Because the AppGallery is not segregated from one country to another yet, you can also find some broadcast apps on the platform. It is an interesting platform, if used correctly. Why not have WhatsApp there too? That is an idea.
In this week’s Tech & Tonic Podcast, which was also a livestream in the morning, it is just the two of us again. We explored plenty of things that came out last week though. We spoke about the collaboration between Google and Apple. We think that there is going to be a significant long-term benefit to the collaboration for the health care industry.
Apple also launched their brand-new Apple iPhone SE last week. The iPhone SE is meant to be their latest, and most affordable Apple iPhone. It still packs an A13 Bionic processor though, so it comes packing with power.
We also discussed about OnePlus’ new flagship, the OnePlus 8. In that, we spoke about how similar it is to another flagship that was launched earlier this year. Still, it seems like a good flagship contender for 2020.
We finally unboxed the HUAWEI MatePad Pro too (unboxing later this week). We discussed about how we actually liked the device. Of course, without Google’s Mobile Services, we feel that it is a little lacking somehow. Still, we like it.
That brought us to another topic of mobile ecosystems though. Is HUAWEI Mobile Services a good alternative to the Google Play ecosystem? Should you even consider it. We spoke about that, and more in the latest Tech & Tonic!
Last week, a few interesting happened in tech. While most has to do with the COVID-19 development and fight, there were a few new interesting products too. For one, the long-awaited HUAWEI P40 series makes Malaysian debut in the week. There are only two variants currently though – the standard HUAWEI P40 and the HUAWEI P40 Pro. The HUAWEI P40 Pro+ is, as touted, coming way later. Prices start from MYR 2,799 and you can already pre-order the devices on HUAWEI’s website and Lazada until the 10th April 2020. Alongside that is the HUAWEI MatePad Pro that was announced a little over a month ago. Malaysia is currently only getting one variant of it though (8GB + 256GB). You can also pre-order them now at MYR 2,399. The flagship smartphone and tablet will start shipping from the 11th of April 2020. Of course, if you pre-order, you get more HUAWEI exclusive stuff from HUAWEI too.
There were some new notebook PCs that is supposed to arrive in the market sometime later this year too. The 10th Generation Intel Core processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX SUPER equipped notebook PCs break cover. So many of them at the same time; there are some from ASUS, from Acer, from Lenovo, and from MSI. The most expensive we have seen so far is the MSI GS66 stealth at up to MYR 16,000.
Back on the topic of COVID-19, the world is focused at, not only in treating the disease, but also coping with the quarantine and helping the front liners. We have the #VentilatorChallengeUK that was answered by many private conglomerates in the region including Formula 1 teams. At the same time, plenty are taking advantage of the situation. So, we all must do our parts and be careful.
Last week, we saw the HUAWEI P40 series being globally launched. The HUAWEI P40 and the P40 Pro is supposed to come to the market first. The HUAWEI P40 Pro Plus is probably the one you want to go for, but that is going to set you back a lot of money and you have to wait until mid-year 2020. It is also the one that comes with five cameras instead of the measly three of the HUAWEI P40 and the four of the HUAWEI P40 Pro.
Source: HUAWEI
In that case, you might have expected the HUAWEI P40 series to arrive in Malaysia a little later, in waiting for the HUAWEI P40 Pro+. That is not the case though. Malaysia is quite a lucky market. Well, if I am quoting them right, Malaysia is one of their key markets in South East Asia. Flattering, no?
That also means that we are one of the first markets also to get HUAWEI’s latest and greatest. That happens today with the HUAWEI P40 series, starting with the HUAWEI P40 and the HUAWEI P40 Pro flagship devices. The HUAWEI P40 Pro+, as was announced in the global launch, will be available at a later date.
Source: HUAWEI
Still, the HUAWEI P40 and the HUAWEI P40 Pro are still the flagship device that you have been waiting for since the HUAWEI P30. We found the HUAWEI P30 to be quite brilliant, if we are being honest and we do not expect the HUAWEI P40 devices to be anything less than that. Still we have covered all the necessary spec talk in the global launch, so we are going to spare you the lecture.
Briefly though, the flagship series is powered by none other than HUAWEI’s own HiSilicon Kirin 990 5G capable System on a Chip (SoC) with dedicated dual Neural Processing Units (NPU) for maximum delivery. All of them will come with 8GB of RAM. That is smaller than some of the outgoing flagships now. Then again, who needs more than 8GB? Both flagships will come with a main 50-Megapixel camera.
Source: HUAWEI
The only few things that differentiate one from the other is the design cue, their screen sizes, the number of cameras packed at the back, and their price tags. The HUAWEI P40 comes with a regular 6.1-inch display with Full HD display while the Pro comes with a bigger 6.58-inch overflow display with 90Hz and 2,640 by 1,200 pixels for resolution. The HUAWEI P40 comes with three cameras at the back while the HUAWEI P40 Pro comes with four cameras at the back.
The HUAWEI P40 and P40 Pro will be available for pre-order from the 3rd April 2020 (10.08 a.m.) onward via HUAWEI’s online sales portal, various retail partners, or HUAWEI’s Lazada Flagship store and your devices will come to you on the 11th of April onward. You have to keep in mind that while the HUAWEI P40 and P40 Pro are EMUI 10 devices based on Android 10, they do not come with Google’s Play Store. The HUAWEI P40 flagship series will come in four colours for now – Black, Blush Gold, Deep Sea Blue, and Silver Frost. I must say that I really like the Silver Frost.
Alongside the HUAWEI P40 series, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro has also arrived in Malaysia. The HUAWEI MatePad variant that is coming to Malaysia though is the WiFi edition one, not the 5G ready one. It is available in two colours – Midnight Grey and Pearl White. It will also be available for pre-order at the same time the HUAWEI P40 series is available for pre-order on the 3rd April 2020 for MYR 2,399. If you do, you get a keyboard case, the M-Pen, and 3-month free subscription for HUAWEI Video worth MRY 1,000.
There is also the HUAWEI Watch GT 2e that is designed for the active lifestyle. The HUAWEI Watch GT 2e can last you two weeks on a single charge and will come in two colours – Mint Green and Graphite Black. It will also be available for pre-order at the same time for MYR 599. If you do, you get a free strap that is worth MYR 68.
How much? The HUAWEI P40 will set you back MYR 2,799 and the HUAWEI P40 Pro will set you back MYR 3,899. If you pre-order your device you get to enjoy free gifts worth up to MRY 1,300. You get a free HUAWEI FreeBuds 3, 50GB of cloud storage, 1-year extended warranty, 1-month of screen protection, 3-months free subscription to HUAWEI Video, wireless charging case for the P40, and a wireless car charger if you get the HUAWEI P40 Pro. For more information on the HUAWEI P40 series, you can head to their website.
So last Friday we started on a series to document how we will start living with a HUAWEI smartphone free from the clutches of the evil Google ecosystem. No, they are not really evil; I am just trying to be a bit dramatic here. You get the idea though. Modern HUAWEI smartphones today only come with HUAWEI’s very own Mobile Services and AppGallery; no Google Mobile Services and Play Store. Kind of sad, really.
Last week we managed to download Facebook and WhatsApp. We did not have Instagram, or Netflix, or Telegram. In short, there were plenty of apps we did not have. Did we miss them? Yes, very much, I had Instagram and Netflix, and Prime Video installed in other devices just to scroll through them.
I Still Miss Social Media
In truth though, I am not that big of a social media person.
While I do scroll through social media from time to time, I seldom spend more
than 15 minutes scrolling through Facebook, or Instagram, or Twitter, and even
Snapchat. I have never logged onto Tik Tok.
That does not mean that I can completely ignore all this social
media though. Of course, if I am being honest, I do miss the apps. The idea of
just seeing what other people are up to in their own life; that can still be
quite fun, and quite traumatising depending on the contents.
Facebook can be quite enough though, especially with
Facebook Watch and the countless videos on the platform. That is technically
all the entertainment I got from the HUAWEI Nova 7i. To keep in touch with my
friends, I have WhatsApp. Then again, I turn on my WhatsApp on desktop barely
looked at my smartphone when it comes to messages.
Exploring the AppGallery A Little Deeper
Still, things are not so bad after scrolling through the AppGallery
once more. There are apps in the smartphone after all. Social media apps
include Snapchat, Tik Tok (of course), and WeChat (of course). Nope, nothing
else that I use as far as I can tell. There is even TrueCaller on the AppGallery.
Things are looking a bit up now that I scroll through a little
bit more through the AppGallery. You can find Viu, iflix, and some cinema booking
apps within the AppGallery to start with. No, no Netflix or even Amazon Video
Prime. For now, iflix and Viu would do. I personally don’t have a viu account,
so I stick to iflix. We are currently under the Movement Control Order (MCO),
so I cannot go for movies.
If not though, I can do some window shopping via Zalora, Lazada,
and even Shopee. There are even some games that you might be familiar with. One
of them is Cut the Rope 2 within the AppGallery. You can even find Lords Mobile
and Fortnite on the device. So to be fair, you are not really getting
shorthanded in terms of entertainment here.
For productivity, they have WPS Office on the AppGallery. While
some say that WPS Office app is better than the original Microsoft apps, I
would respectfully disagree. The modern Microsoft apps are now so much better,
and so much more optimised. At the same time, it is easier to sync your Microsoft
apps to OneDrive than anything else. This is a problem on the device though;
there are almost no Microsoft apps here.
I say almost because there is a particularly useful Microsoft
app that we love. That app is Microsoft’s Translation app. In our opinion, this
is the best translation app that mankind has ever produced. It is accurate and
works with plenty of accents. Still, we are not here for the Microsoft Translate
app.
It is Still Android, Just Without Google
The apps that are downloaded are also very similar to the
Android apps you find on Google Play Store. The EMUI 10 is based on Android 10
after all. Still, we found these apps. Which are great. If you are worried
about bringing them out as your electronic wallet, you would be relieved to
find Touch n’ Go app in there and Boost app. Grab is making its way on
AppGallery. Still, the two largest e-wallets in Malaysia has a foothold in
HUAWEI’s AppGallery. That means the HUAWEI Mobile Services (HMS), and
AppGallery cannot be that bad, right? Too early to tell in my opinion.
Still, we are going to dive a little deeper than that. For
now, that is all we can walk away with. Stay tuned for the next part.
On this week’s techENT Download, HUAWEI announced their new HUAWEI P40 Series with a huge 50-megapixel camera while Xiaomi took on themselves to steal the spotlight with the Xiaomi Mi 10 series and the Redmi Note 9s. Not being one to be left behind, Realme announced their Realme 6 in Malaysia while Samsung unleashed the Galaxy M31. The Samsung Galaxy S10 Series and the Note 10 series also get some love with new camera upgrades.
In the UK, Dyson has started making 15,000 ventilators to help with situation while Scientists turn to the people to create the largest Crowd Sourced, Distributed Computing network with Folding@Home! Help molecular biologists decipher SARS-CoV-2 structures with Folding@Home. You can lend a hand by downloading the software at https://foldingathome.org/.
Don’t forget to like and subscribe on our YouTube channel (youtube.com/techenttv)! Of course, click on the notification bell button to keep yourselves updated with our latest videos!
Last night we saw a big fan fare of a smartphone launch. It was the very anticipated HUAWEI photography flagship, the HUAWEI P40 series. The ones we are going to see earlier is the HUAWEI P40 and P40 Pro. There is a third model, the P40 Pro+ which will be coming way later. Still, HUAWEI finally announced their first 2020 flagship.
The HUAWEI P40 is really everything that you might want in a
HUAWEI flagship photography king. If you owned the P20, it is really the
smartphone that you naturally want to upgrade to. There is one thing that it
does not come with though: Google.
This means that the HUAWEI P40 series will not have Google’s very handy Play Store and is stuck to the ways of HUAWEI’s own proprietary Mobile Services (HMS) and its AppGallery. We are not saying that it is a terrible thing though. It may sound bad, but you never know until you try right?
The Test Bed – The HUAWEI Nova 7i
Our test bed is a HUAWEI Nova 7i. In some markets, they know
it as the HUAWEI P40 Lite. We do not understand that half the time, so we will
just stick to Malaysia’s official name for it, we guess; the HUAWEI Nova 7i.
If you really have to know the specs of this MYR 1,099
device, it is is a mid-range smartphone that packs a relatively punchy
HiSilicon Kirin 810 system on a chip (SoC) and supported by 8GB of RAM and you
get 128GB of storage with that. The internals push EMUI 10.0.1.108 that is also
based on Android 10. So, when we say that it comes completely devoid of Google
stuff, I did not forget that this is still an Android device. We just mean that
the HUAWEI Nova 7i comes devoid of Google’s important frameworks that includes
the Google Play Store.
We are not focusing on the hardware capabilities of the
device, though. So, it does not really matter if the HUAWEI Nova 7i comes with
a 48-Megapixel camera and a Full HD display. What matters is that it represents
the collective of modern HUAWEI devices that are in the market right now,
starting with the era of the HUAWEI Mate 30 series. They all have one thing in
common, and that is HMS and AppGallery.
The focus of this write-up then, is what we can do with HMS
and what AppGallery can offer us. On paper, it does not look too good for the
write-up. The HUAWEI AppGallery is the third largest app marketplace behind
Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store. Which may not sound like much,
because there are not many major app marketplaces in the market. Since there
are two major camps of smartphone Operating Systems (OS) in the market, the two
largest ones are quite a given.
Starting-up HUAWEI’s EMUI 10.0.1
Let us still give this a chance though. We fire up the device
and everything feels just like a regular Android smartphone at first. It is an Android
10 based system after all, so it starts up very similar to any Android. Except,
you do not sign in with your Google account. You sign in with or sign up for a
HUAWEI ID account. We had one, so that was simple.
If you are familiar with an EMUI device that has Google Play
Store installed on it, like the HUAWEI P30 series, navigating the smartphone should
be nothing new really. It is still a very familiar EMUI to the EMUI’s of the past;
in that, there is no difference in experience at all. You cannot see Google’s Play
Store on the home screen though. So far, so good; familiarity with the
interface saves the face.
First set-up
No Play Store, no problem. There the HUAWEI AppGallery. First
thing I usually do with a new smartphone is download all the essential apps I
need. Those apps are Whatsapp, Telegram, Slack, Facebook, Instagram, and
Twitter. Out of all those apps listed, I only found two – Facebook and Whatsapp.
They are not loaded into the AppGallery though.
What happens is that the HUAWEI AppGallery will lead you to a
third-party site to download the apk files of Facebook and Whatsapp. These are
the only two I found so far. Not looking good now. When we checked in, HUAWEI
says that these two sideloaded apps are safe because the AppGallery is the one
that leads us to the site.
That is not to say that you cannot sideload the rest of the
apps that I listed down though. You can still download the apk files from other
sites, no problem. Just be wary of the sources though.
Still, we worked with the two apps that we just downloaded.
They both work just like the Android version app should work. They look the
same too. The only question now is whether we can keep up with the most current
update packages or not.
Day 0 Wrap-up
We wrap the test up with that for now. We got our smartphone
running with the most essential WhatsApp up. Even Facebook is there, so far
that is the entertainment we are getting for the night.
Still, we are going to try to live through the HMS and
AppGallery as long as we can and go in-depth. The HMS is available on every new
HUAWEI smartphone you buy today. Yes, they are all running on EMUI 10 now too.
Still, the HUAWEI P40 that was announced last night is not
just that. When you buy a new HUAWEI smartphone today, you get a free 50GB
HUAWEI Cloud Storage subscription for the next year. If you already own a
HUAWEI smartphone device, you already have 5GB of HUAWEI Cloud Storage for free
anyway.
We will be looking to more apps next week with the HUAWEI Nova
7i. Until then, stay safe during this whole Movement Control Order period. To
the ones outside of Malaysia, you stay safe too.
The HUAWEI P30 is a year old now, just about. The P series in HUAWEI’s stables has been the Photography smartphone. It was a smartphone that always took smartphone photography to the next level.
The P9 was the first smartphone that launched with two lenses.
The P20 series launched with a revolutionary three-lens camera arrangement. Then
came the P30 series last year that launched with one more lens in the back of
the device. It was also the device that started the maximum zoom distance race.
Of course, we have the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra that zooms up to 100x. Yes,
this was the race started by the HUAWEI P30 series. HUAWEI, in the modern era
of smartphones are definitely the trend-setters for smartphone cameras.
Source: HUAWEI
That is partly why this is an interesting year for HUAWEI
and for us. The question in everybody’s mind was, how is HUAWEI going to innovate
and revolutionise the smartphone camera again. How are they moving the goal
post, the gold standard of smartphone photography? All that is answered with
the HUAWEI P40 series.
As with any other modern HUAWEI devices, the HUAWEI P40 series
packs their very own HISilicon Kirin 990 5G ready System on a Chip (SoC). That processor
is supported by an 8GB of RAM to help things trundle along nicely and you get
to pick up to 512GB in storage. If that is not enough, you can expand it via a
NanoMemory 2 card. Here is the issue though, you can hardly find a NanoMemory
card in Malaysia.
That may be forgivable though. I hardly can think of anyone
needing an extra memory card in their smartphones these days. Even 128GB is also
plenty if you think about it. The main attraction for today though is the camera.
HUAWEI P40 Pro+
Source: HUAWEI
We start with the daddy of the lot, the big hulking thing
that is the HUAWEI P40 Pro+. Technically, it is not that much of a big thing. Its
display measures in a 6.58-inch. It punches a resolution of 1,640 by 1,200.
That is actually just a little more than Full HD. It also comes with something they
call a Quad-Curve Overflow display. That means that at its four sides, the display
curves into the frame. Visually, that gives you an illusion of a bezel-less
display. It might as well be though, because the bezels are so thin, you might not
even see it.
It also refreshes at 90Hz, not 120Hz like other premium
flagships we see out there. HUAWEI says that this is more battery efficient though,
which rings some truth. That should allow the 4,200mAh built-in battery to last
longer than your average workday.
Its IP68 body is a wrap of glass in front and ceramic at the
back. Ceramic is a unique material because it is a highly durable material. At
the same time, it has glass like qualities that makes it shine. Fortunately,
the P40 Pro+ only comes in that type of body. Unfortunately, the P40 Pro+ is
the only one in the series to get ceramic finish.
That ceramic back is house to a five-camera set up you might
find familiar looking in arrangement. They are very different from their
competitor though. The camera module are co-developed with Leica, as usual.
The main camera, the biggest sensor HUAWEI ever developed is
a 50-Megapixel main shooter with HUAWEI’s very famous RYYB sensor. They say
that it is bigger than its competition and its predecessors. As HUAWEI has
proven too, their RYYB sensor is supposed to be able to absorb more natural light,
allowing for better detailed shots and better details in low-light photography.
In another sense, it allows the camera to ‘see’ better.
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
There is a 40-Megapixel ultra-wide angle lens sitting on one
side of the main shooter. They call it a Cine Lens. Then there are two
telephoto lenses you will find on the HUAWEI P40 Pro+. There is a 3x telephoto
lens punching 8-Megapixels, and a 10x telephoto lens at the same pixel count. Both
sensors are RYYB sensors too, mind you. Together with the 50-Megapixel lens, the
HUAWEI P40 Pro+ can zoom up to 100x. Sounds familiar? Yes, somebody has done it
before. So far though, this alongside the Korean contender, are the only devices
to have a zoom factor of 100x. The fifth camera is a 3D ToF camera, to capture
and process 3D environments. There is also an additional colour temperature sensor
though. This is for better colour interpretation and reproduction on your photos.
This also means your photos should look stunning.
Before we forget though, the overflow display has a punch
hole in the top left corner of the OLED display. That houses a 31-Megapixel
camera, a depth sensor, and an Infra-Red sensor combination as its front
camera. That sounds like a recipe for a camera for a mid-range smartphone. The combination
should make a great selfie portrait though.
HUAWEI P40 Pro
Source: HUAWEI
Then there is a littler HUAWEI P40 Pro. When we say smaller,
we have already mentioned that the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ and the HUAWEI P40 Pro share
the same 6.58-inch DCI-P3 certified HDR display with more than Full HD+ resolution.
So in that sense you are getting a device with the same size. You even get the
same 32-Megapixel camera combination out the front.
You also get the same battery size for good measure. Nearly
everything about the device is quite the same as its more premium HUAWEI P40
Pro+ brother. Everything except for its storage option at 256GB, price tag, and
the back.
The back is not ceramic, nothing that premium. It is a glass
back and it comes in five interesting colour options. We especially like the matte
finish variant.
The back also houses an impressive camera set up though. Not
five cameras this time. It is a four-camera set up at the back in what seems to
be identical camera module housing. While it is not a five-camera set-up, it is
still a powerful arrangement with a 5x telephoto lens at the back though.
You still have the same RYYB 50-Megapixel sensor lodged in
the middle of the arrangement. That is also still flanked by a 40-Megapixel
lens. At the other side though is a 12-Megapixel RYYB telephoto camera at 5x
optical zoom. You get a 3D ToF camera to top it all off and a colour temperature
sensor.
HUAWEI P40
Source: HUAWEI
The littlest one in the family. It is not that little as
well. Its display measures in at 6.1-inch and punches Full HD+ resolution. Thing
is, the display can be considered small compared to its competitors too. Even
the OPPO Find X2 has a 6.7-inch display. The punch hole on the display also
houses the same 32-Megapixel camera combination as its more powerful siblings.
The back is also a glass finished glass, like the HUAWEI P40
Pro. Like the HUAWEI P40 Pro too, you can choose between 5 colour finishes. Unlike
the HUAWEI P40 Pro and the P40 Pro+ though, you only get 3,800mAh battery within
the more petite body. Unlike the HUAWEI P40 Pro also, this only sports 128GB in
memory. Still plenty, in our opinion. Unlike the HUAWEI P40 Pro series too,
this does not have the luxury of seeing the Quad-Curve display. It is completely
flat. Which may not actually be a bad thing.
Like its bigger brothers though it still retains its
50-Megapixel camera in the middle. Except, you only get two other cameras flanking
the main sensor. On one side is a 16-Megapixel ultra-wide angle lens. The other
is an 8-Megapixel 3x telephoto camera. While you get less, you still get the colour
temperature sensor though, which also means your photos still comes out as
stunning as it can be. Maybe just as stunning as the more premium variants.
The Vision Photography
All the devices in the range have plenty of things in common
though. They all share the same 8GB RAM size. They share nearly the same design
language and camera module housing. They also share the same software. All of
them are running on HUAWEI’s Android 10 based user interface (UI) that is the
EMUI 10.
The EMUI 10 in the HUAWEI P40 Pro has a few tricks up its
sleeve over the current generation of EMUI 10 though. While it still allows the
HUAWEI P40 series to shoot at 4K 60fps, the software takes advantage of the
3-mic set up of the Huawei P40 Pro and implements what the industry calls zoom
audio. That also means that it amplifies the volume of the object you shoot as
you zoom into the subject.
Source: HUAWEI
There is a new autofocus system on the HUAWEI P40 series too.
While the world is still stuck on Dual Phase Detection autofocus, HUAWEI uses
Octa Phase Detection autofocus on the HUAWEI P40. That also means you get near
instant and accurate autofocusing from the HUAWEI P40. You can now also take 4K
timelapse videos with your zoom lenses on the HUAWEI P40. So instead of
shooting a scenery, you can choose a subject to focus on and shoot.
The HUAWEI camera app also comes with a more powerful AI.
This is also thanks to HUAWEI’s HiSilicon Kirin 990 5G SoC with a large dual Neural
Processing Unit (NPU). The NPU on that processor is the most powerful independent
NPU we have ever seen in a smartphone SoC.
Source: HUAWEI
The camera app has something called Golden Snap. This feature
is pretty useful for not just regular photographers. It is a killer feature for
any photographers. First, there is the ‘best-shot’ recommendation intelligence.
This should not be all that new. The other two functions they teased though are
quite mind-boggling. The first is the AI Remove Passerby; which does exactly that.
It lets you discard any unwanted people in your photo and let the camera just
focus on you and your surroundings. While that sounds like something only
Photoshop can do before this, you are entering a new era of smartphone photography
with this one. The second is AI remove reflection, which is also exactly that.
No, it will not remove you completely if you deliberately take a photo of yourself
in front of a mirror. What it does is remove the reflected images you get when
you take a photo through a glass panel. Again, something that you though only
Photoshop could do. Not anymore.
The Power of EMUI
While this has nothing to do with its software, we have to
say it for the HUAWEI P40 series. The device packs the fastest wireless charging
capability in the current market. It comes with 40W fast charging capabilities.
It does not just stop there though, like the HUAWEI P30 Pro, you can share your
extra power with other wireless charging devices too. Keep in mind that this is
only for the HUAWEI P40 Pro and P40 Pro+ though.
Still, all the HUAWEI P40 devices have something called Celia;
HUAWEI’s very new, very personal, very clever assistant. It is basically HUAWEI’s
version of Google Assistant. Except, HUAWEI can no longer access Google’s framework
and services anymore. Which also means that this is an HMS device with AppGallery.
It is still Android based though, so you still can sideload Android compatible
apps.
Source: HUAWEI
Still they have something new in the AppGallery called MeeTime.
Sounds like FaceTIme? It is better than that. At first glance it looks like a
very regular video chat app. Thing is, it is like Google Hangouts on steroids.
You can use third-party cameras, connect it to the app, and let the app project
from the camera. You can share your screen across the video chat, you can even project
your video call on your TV or other WiFi compatible displays if you like. It is
the perfect video conferencing tool if you ask me.
Someone close to us mentioned before this that HUAWEI’s HMS
lack a cloud photo gallery. With the new HUAWEI P40 arrangement, it seems like
they are going to fix that in a big way. HUAWEI calls it their Cross
Distributed File System. Essentially, it is a file sharing tool between
devices. The thing is, you can activate it, and you can search your photos
across any of your own devices, even if it is not your smartphone or cloud
storage yet. If you are under the same WiFi umbrella, even better. Of course,
there is the great HUAWEI Share function that we all quite love.
HUAWEI’s Professional Studio Light by HUAWEI Camera Kit x Profoto
Alongside the photography kings, HUAWEI collaborated with Profoto
to create something that we saw; and we really want it. It is sort of a multipurpose
portable photography and video artificial light source. Well, it is technically
a very fancy lamp that comes with its own set of filters. You can control it directly
from your HUAWEI smartphone to your liking or to add a light source to make your
photos look better. No idea how much its priced, or when its arriving into the
market. We are excited though.
Price and Availability
The HUAWEI P40 and HUAWEI P40 Pro will be available in selected
global markets, including Europe from the 7th of April 2020 onward. Both
the devices will be available in the same five finishes; ice white, Deep Sea
Blue, and Black regular finishes, and Frost Silver and Blush Gold matte glass
finishes. The HUAWEI P40 Pro+ will be available way later in June 2020 in two
exclusive ceramic finishes; black and white.
Source: HUAWEI
The HUAWEI P40 series starts from EU€ 799 (MYR 3,768) with the
standard HUAWEI P40 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB in storage. The HUAWEI P40 Pro is
stuck in the middle priced at EU€ 999 (MYR 4,712). The series tops off with
the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ at EU€ 1,399 (MYR 6,598). Expensive? Yes, they are.
Remember that this is not representative of the prices of the Malaysian units when
they get here. There is no official word yet on when the device is coming into
Malaysia. If you need any more information on the HUAWEI P40 series you can
find it on HUAWEI’s
website.
No, please do not get the title wrong. The HUAWEI Mate Xs still does not have Google Play Store out of the box. Now that we got that out of the way, let us get right to it; HUAWEI’s very anticipated foldable smartphone is available for purchase in Malaysia today onward.
For the price of MYR 11,111, you are getting a piece of engineering
marvel that is the
HUAWEI Mate Xs starting from today. There is a problem, however. We are not
technically allowed out of our homes to buy a smartphone. Even if do get
outside, the shops are not even open. So, what is HUAWEI on about? How are they
selling their new smartphones?
Source: HUAWEI
Online is the word. Of course, selling smartphones online is
nothing new to HUAWEI. They have been doing it for years with their sister
brand HONOR. Of course, they have their own curated web store as well.
Obviously at this state, where no one can be out and about
doing their regular shopping, HUAWEI can only put the HUAWEI Mate Xs on sale on
the web store. So here it is, no launch gambit, no fancy roadshows; just a simple
product put online. A little underwhelming for the Mate Xs? Yes. Necessary? Yes
as well.
The HUAWEI Mate Xs – As Weird as Interstellar
The HUAWEI Mate Xs comes only in one colour option; that is Interstellar
Blue. As you can see in our hands-on video, with poor lighting, the device does
actually look quite good. If you must ask as well (of course, you would) it
really feels like a quality product like no other. The folding mechanism gives
you a load of confidence with the device, it has a solid resistance that gives
you a sense that this thing is meant to be folded in and out for a lifetime. Even
the crease is barely noticeable on the HUAWEI Mate Xs, less pronounced than,
let us say a Samsung Galaxy Fold.
Still, it is quite a different interpretation of what a foldable smartphone should look like. We like that about the HUAWEI Mate Xs. We also like the fact that it has a tonne of power and 5G connectivity thanks to the ultra-powerful HiSilicon Kirin 990 System on a Chip (SoC) with 8G of RAM and 512GB of storage. We like that the EMUI 10 (based on Android 10, by the way) that is on the device is optimised for multiwindow functionality.
We also like the fact that the device only features one display
(8-inch to 6-inch), which is technically cheaper and simpler to maintain. Although,
at this point, it is difficult to say thanks to the more ‘robust’ folding
mechanism. Also, not too sure about the battery life because it only has 4,500
mAh squeezed into its tight body. We are not saying that this is not impressive;
it is an impressive feat still.
As we mentioned before in our launch article as well, you only get a single array of cameras that you use for both main camera shots and selfies. That is, in our books, great as well; less things to worry about and you get a single camera quality instead of two different results on two different fronts. The HUAWEI Mate Xs has a main 40-Megapixel camera, a 16-Megapixel ultra-wide angle lens, an 8-Megapixel telephoto lens, and a Time of Flight sensor for even more stellar portraits and better auto focusing.
So, you can get your hands on the HUAWEI Mate Xs today for
MYR 11,111 from HUAWEI’s
one and only web store. With that purchase you get a free HUAWEI Freebuds 3
worth MYR 679. You also get an Envelope Leather Case for the device worth MYR
299. In the box itself you get a sort of shell to cover the sides of your new
smartphone and a pair of USB Type-C earphones. Oh right, this thing does not
have a 3.5mm headphone jack. You also get HUAWEI’s three months warranty on
your display, just in case. That warranty covers everything from drops to
whatever sort of accidental collisions the device might face within the three
months. It does not cover water damage though, and this is not an IP rated
device, so keep it away from coffee, or even rain.
HUAWEI VIP Home Delivery Service
Beyond that, you get to choose on the method of your receipt
of the device. Yes, you get to choose. You can be optimistic and tell the web
store that you will collect your HUAWEI Mate Xs at your preferred HUAWEI Store.
That is if you can find one that is open, or if you can wait until April for
the device. If not, you can choose for the HUAWEI Mate Xs to be delivered right
to your doorstep. They call it the HUAWEI VIP Home Delivery Service.
You can expect a man in tuxedos to arrive at your doorstep,
mask ready of course (health and safety requirement), and gloves. They would
ring your doorbell, and you answer the door greeted by an English accent and
your smartphone on a silver tray. They will sanitise the device in front of you
as well, just to add to the drama and show. Then you pick it up and feel like
the most important man in the world.
Source: HUAWEI
No, we are kidding. The face mask and sanitation procedures
are true though. Still, I would imagine that if you bought your smartphone you would
not be able to wait for it to get a first glimpse and hands-on with it. I
suggest you go for the delivery service, all you have to do is provide them
with your contact and delivery details anyway.
The HUAWEI Mate Xs is now on sale at HUAWEI’s online
web store. The highly anticipated smartphone will set you back MYR 11,111.
The free gifts mentioned are available for all purchases of the HUAWEI Mate Xs until
further noticed by HUAWEI. More information on their device can be found on HUAWEI’s Website.
