Huawei launched the Huawei P10 and the Huawei P10 Plus atMWC and these devices were mainly targeted for the European and Asian markets with no plans of releasing it in the U.S.
However, the company has now confirmed that the Huawei P10 and Huawei P10 Plus would be available across the border in Canada.
The Huawei P10 would be available through major Canadian carriers like Rogers, Videotron, Fido, and Bell. The higher variant, the Huawei P10 Plus, would be exclusively available through Rogers.
"We are proud to be bringing our flagship P series line to Canada with Rogers and Bell. Building on the global success of the HUAWEI P9 line, the HUAWEI P10 and P10 Plus will provide Canadian consumers with a compelling new alternative when selecting their next device," said Sean Yang Huawei Canada President.
The pricing for the smartphones is not known. However, based on the European pricing of both devices, it can be surmised that the Huawei P10 and the Huawei P10 Plus will retail for roughly $700 and $800, respectively.
Why No U.S. Release?
Huawei has launched its Honor 8 and the Huawei Mate 9 devices in the United States, which had given fans further hope that the latest Huawei P10 and the Huawei P10 Plus would also make its way to retailers in the country. However, this has not been the case.
In an interview with Mobile Syrup, the Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Huawei Scott Bradley revealed that the company is launching both devices in Canada. This is in a bid to expand its market presence in the country. Huawei had huge success upon the release of its recent Nova series of devices and the Nexus 6P in Canada.
Bradley also revealed that it took the company several years before it could launch its devices in both Canada and the United States.
Before the Huawei Mate 9 and the Honor 8, the company was unable to get any of its products to either country as they lacked the Enhanced 911 certification, which is compulsory for all smartphones in the United States and Canada.
Finally, in 2016, Huawei's Kirin chips were able to get the E911 certification and were cleared to be released.
However, the Honor 8 performed poorly in the American market even though the average sales of the unlocked Huawei Mate 9 were decent. Moreover, if the Huawei smartphones lack carrier support at launch, a mid-range phone in the $650 price range may not be able to compete successfully with the LG or Samsung flagships.
This is considered the primary reason why the company has decided to skip the release of its latest devices in the country.
Lastly, the relationship between Huawei and Canadian carriers may also indicate why it is launching its Huawei P10 and the Huawei P10 Plus in the neighboring nation. The company believes, and it may be true, that Canadian consumers and carriers have always been more receptive to the products of the Chinese company compared to the United States.
However, there is a silver lining for consumers in America. They can import the devices from Canada as both would reportedly be optimized for North American carriers.
