Image via Twitter: @HuaweiMobile
Huawei confirmed launch date for powerful new Mate 40 series
Huawei announced this weekend that it will debut the Mate 40 Series in October 2020. Here’s what you need to know.
Image via Twitter: @HuaweiMobile
Huawei tweeted that “unprecedented power is coming” in the form of the Huawei Mate 40 series, along with the tagline ‘Leap Further Ahead’.
Huawei Mate 40 Series: Leap Further Ahead
What to expect
As per Huawei’s tweet, the Mate 40 series will be unveiled on 22 October 2020. Other than the Mate 40, we could also expect a series of new devices and wearables. However, this still speculation.
That said, we could expect the announcement of a Mate 40, Mate 40 Pro, Mate 40 Pro+; and possibly even a “Mate 40 RS Porsche Design” with “selected leather and crafted glass”, similar to the Mate 30.
In addition, we might also see that Huawei FreeBuds Studio, Huawei Sound X Smart Audio, new Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro models and new Huawei Smart Life in All Scenarios products.
Huawei Mate series: eight years, ten generations
On Monday, Huawei shared a look back at the Mate series to commemorate eight years and ten generations of “redefining classic, leading innovation and surpassing every expectation”.
From the first Huawei Mate (released in 2013) through to the Huawei Mate 2 and Mate 7 of 2014; up to the Mate 10 Series in 2017, the Mate 20 in 2018 and the Mate 30 in 2019.
As for Huawei Mate 40’s pricing, Android Authority predicts that the devices could be priced between $1400 to $1500 (approximately R23 000 and R25 000).
Kirin chips: The end of an era
The Mate 40 series could be Huawei’s last premium phone to ship with the Kirin 9000 5nm processor. CEO Richard Yu said at a conference in August that this “may be the last generation of Huawei Kirin high-end chips”. According to The Verge:
“The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the largest semiconductor manufacturer in the world; reportedly halted orders for Huawei’s HiSilicon unit in May following the new US rule”.
US Trade War recap
The Trump administration placed Huawei on its Entity List back in May 2019. Trump’s move had far-reaching repurcussions, such as forcing Google to revoke Huawei’s Android licence amid the US-China trade war.
That meant that future Android-based Huawei phones won’t be able to ship with Google Play and Google Play Protect. Huawei was forced to work on its own version of the Google Play Store.
At the time, President Cyril Ramaphosa sided with China, not with the Trump administration. China’s foreign investment in South Africa might have explained why:
“The Asian superpower ploughed R196 billion into South Africa last July [2018] and handed out a R33 billion loan to Eskom. In fact, they’ve got all types of coals in our fire, and it seems that Cyril is keen to keep the boat from rocking”.
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