The Huawei Mate 9 is one of the most anticipated smartphones, and even though there's still no official word out yet, its already rife with rumors about the possible specs, features and whatnot.
With that said, it's only natural to make a compilation of what's in store, so here's a list of what the handset might bring to the table.
Rear Dual Cameras With Leica Optics
One of the latest talks in town is that the Mate 9 along with the Mate S2 will get a rear-facing dual-camera setup with Leica optics. Other features include optical image stabilization or OIS, analog zoom and laser autofocus.
This particular bit has a good chance of turning out to be true, as Huawei and the camera maker share a history together with the P9.
Kirin 960, Android 7.0 Nougat And Other Specs
Last month, the Mate 9 paid a visit to GFXBench, revealing a Kirin 960 chipset, 64 GB of native storage and a 5.9-inch display with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution that clocks in at 373 ppi. To top them all off, it's expected to run on Android 7.0 Nougat skinned with EMUI 5 on top out of the box.
At the time, the benchmark said that it will get a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera and an 8-megapixel front snapper, but based on the abovementioned rumor, it appears that Leica is beefing up the shooters.
What's more, while the results showed 4 GB of RAM, it seems that there's a chance the handset in question will sport 6 GB worth of RAM under the hood instead.
Last but not least, the online retailer Gizok posted a listing that shows a Kirin 960 in tow and a $599 price tag for the device.
Minimalistic Design
Leaked images of the Mate 9's chassis made rounds online back in mid-August, and they corroborate the details about the dual rear camera configuration and show off two speaker grilles placed on both sides of the USB port on the bottom. If this holds true, then it looks like Huawei opted for a minimalistic design for the phablet.
Release Date
Regarding the release date — or when it'll be unveiled, at least — of the Mate 9, it has been quite a roller-coaster ride.
First off, Huawei sent out invitations for its September event, but then it said that the smartphone won't make an appearance there. Next, the company urged everyone to "defy expectations," but then it finally put its foot down and said that the occasion is for a new line of midrange handsets. In a word, there's no telling when the Chinese maker will unwrap the anticipated phablet at this point.
Now, this goes without saying, but without an announcement or confirmation from Huawei, it's advised to take these bits of news with a good old-fashioned grain of salt. Nevertheless, these do paint a somewhat clear picture of what to expect from the Mate 8 successor.
At any rate, whether these hold true or not in the end, what do you think of what the Mate 9 could potentially offer? Feel free to hit us up in the comments section below and let us know.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns | Flickr
