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The Huawei P50 Pro is expected to launch today in China. Typically launched in late March, Huawei has been struggling with component supplies due to the ongoing issues with the US and trading restrictions.
While we normally have a global launch, the phone will be limited to China for now. It is also expected that the Huawei P50 Pro+ launch will be delayed further.
Specification
- Display: 6.6″ OLED 120Hz 2700x1228p, 450 PPI, 300Hz Touch Sampling, 1440Hz PWM Dimming
- Chipset: Kirin 9000
- Dimensions: 158.8×72.8×8.5mm
- Rear Camera: 50MP Main, 64MP 3.5X Optical Zoom Telescope, 40MP ToF, 13MP Ultra-Wide
- Front Camera: 13MP Front
- RAM/Storage: 8GB RAM, 256/512GB ROM (256GB NM Card Expansion)
- Battery: 4,360mAH, 66W Wired, 50W Wireless Charging
- IP Rating: IP68 Rating
Chipset
It is believed the new phone will launch with the 4G Kirin 9000 in China then it is likely a new 4G version of the Snapdragon 888 will be used when the phone launches globally. It is unclear why Huawei has used the 4G Kirin 9000 for the Chinese launch. The 4G SD888 is due to the trading restrictions being largely focussed on anything to do with 5G communication, and therefore, Qualcomm would not have been allowed to supply the 5G chips.
The older Huawei P40 Pro has the 5G Kirin 990, so not quite as powerful but has better connectivity.
Display
As usual with Huawei, the display will be impressive. It is a decently sized 6.6” running at 2700x1228p.
The display panel will have a 120Hz refresh rate, 300Hz touch sampling rate, 1440Hz high-frequency PWM dimming, and a pixel density of 450PPI.
The main difference here is the improved refresh rate and touch sampling, up from 90Hz last year.
Camera
The camera arrangement is unusual, but this tends to be the focussed camera model from Huawei, so I am sure it will be impressive.
The main sensor is 50MP; this will up the sensor size from the P40 Pro, current rumours are leaning towards a 1/1.18-inch camera sensor, but it has been previously rumoured to use the 1-inch Sony IMX 800.
Then there will be a 64MP camera which will offer 3.5X Optical Zoom, which is a drop from the 5x zoom of the P40 Pro but an increase in resolution.
Then there is a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera (f/2.2 aperture). This is quite a big drop from the 40MP 1/1.54″ ultra-wide of the P40 Pro.
It is then being reported that there is a 40MP monochrome/ToF sensor (f/1.6 aperture) which just seems bizarre. If this is true, I am sure Huawei have some fancy functionality to go along with it.
The other option is the leaker has got the specs missed up, and it is 40MP for the ultra-wide, still.
HarmonyOS
One of the reasons for the delay in launching the P50 series is that it will be the first phone to launch with HarmonyOS. We have already seen it used on the Huawei Watch 3 and my initial impressions were positive. How well this works on a smartphone is another question. There will, of course, be no Google, so you will need to download all your apps from the App Gallery or Petal Search.
Overall
Normally it is easy to get excited by a flagship Huawei phone, but with all the issues they have faced, the phone faces an uphill battle, especially when launching outside of China.
I hope the camera is outstanding, as this will help the phone stand out from the crowd. It will also be interesting to see how well HarmonOS on a phone runs.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
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