After weeks of gentle jabs at its two main rivals, Huawei took to the stage in Munich this morning to deliver a knockout punch – the Mate 10.
The Chinese tech giant claims it's moved into the "super phone era". It hopes the latest phablet, aimed at business users, will win it legions of new fans.
A massive battery, faster charging and the return of the Leica dual camera setup and of course, the now almost obligatory bezel-less screen, were all confirmed this morning.
But they aren't the main reasons why Huawei believes people should shy away from Samsung and avoid Apple.
"This is so much more than a smartphone," said Gavin Cheng, general manager of Huawei New Zealand Consumer Business Group
"The Huawei Mate 10's major point of difference is its cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology – which makes it an intelligent phone and a device that will certainly challenge other brands in the market."
He's talking about the Kirin 970 chipset, the "world's first artificial intelligence processor for smartphones with a dedicated Neural Network Processing Unit." Put simply, it shows the company's commitment to the advancement of AI.
"In our opinion, if you want something different, with cutting-edge design and technology that will make you stand out from the crowd, the Mate 10 is the ideal phone," he said.
"[Users will be] surprised by how helpful they’ll find the AI functionality in the device… including an AI-enabled new generation Leica dual camera. It sees, thinks, learns, and improves, to let you make the most of work and play."
Both the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro have the same processor and battery and Android 8.0 but here are some of the differences:
Mate 10
- Display: 5.9-inch 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution LCD (499 ppi)
- Storage: 64GB internal with microSD expansion card slot
- Cameras: Rear 20-megapixel f/1.6 aperture monochrome and 12-megapxiel f/1.6 aperture color cameras with OIS. Front 8-megapixel f/2.0 aperture
Mate 10 Pro
- Display: 6-inch 2160 x 1080 pixels resolution LCD (402 ppi)
- Storage: 128GB internal with microSD expansion card slot
- Cameras: Rear 20-megapixel f/1.6 aperture monochrome and 12-megapxiel f/1.6 aperture color cameras with OIS; front 8-megapixel f/2.0 aperture
Mr Cheng believes New Zealanders will love the range.
"Kiwis want a device that they can rely on. The Mate 10 offers users the perfect balance of a reliable business device that still offers a quality camera and long battery life."
In the last couple of years, Huawei has gone from strength to strength. It's been dominating in China and according to Counterpoint Research, its global market share surpassed Apple's in June and July.
As for the New Zealand market? Mr Cheng won't divulge sales information except to say: "We’re incredibly proud. We’ve come a long way since we first launched here 13 years ago.
"Kiwis have had an overwhelmingly positive response to Huawei's world-first introduction of Te Reo Māori as an operating language on our P10 smartphone [and the] Leica dual lens cameras available on our devices."
Huawei also offers three months screen replacement guarantee on all its premier phones, and it recently endeared itself to Kiwi schools by donating 100 pianos.
"We truly value the New Zealand market and its consumers, and we are seeing an amazing response as a result, which we are thrilled about."
The Mate 10 Black and Mate 10 Pro Mocha Brown will be available in NZ. Euro prices are – Mate 10 €699, Mate 10 Pro €799, and Mate 10 Porsche Design €1,395. NZ prices are yet to be confirmed. The phones go on sale here next month.
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