Huawei launched the Mate 70 series, which marks a major departure from US-based hardware and software dependencies. Members of the lineup include the Mate 70, Mate 70 Pro, Mate 70 Pro+, and Mate 70 RS, all built to run without relying on US-centric technology, such as Android apps.
These phones are not available in the US but find a healthy market in China, where Huawei has posted double-digit sales growth despite years of sanctions.
Innovative Design with Quad-Curved Displays
The Mate 70 series packs in sleek designs, which are slightly different on each of the different models. Reuters writes that a basic Mate 70 is characterized by a flat frame and screen, whereas the Pro and Pro+ carry quad-curved OLED displays, not so common in 2024.
A large circular camera island adds to their bold aesthetics and gives the series its unique edge. The Pro variants also come with triple front-facing sensors to enable advanced biometric unlocking and gesture-based navigation.
They come in striking colors: Spruce Green, Hyacinth Purple, Snow White, and Obsidian Black. That should appeal to every whim. It's built tough, with IP69 water and dust resistance, meaning it will easily withstand rough conditions.
Powerful Hardware and Specs
Phone Arena reports that Huawei equips the Mate 70 series with top-notch hardware. The Pro models feature 6.9-inch OLED displays with 1–120Hz adaptive refresh rates and impressive brightness levels reaching up to 2,500 nits.
While the smartphone maker hasn't disclosed specifics about its processors, the phones likely run on the Kirin 9100 chip, developed in-house using a 6nm process.
Battery life is impressive, with the Mate 70 arriving with 5,300mAh capacity and 66W wired/50W wireless charging. Pro models boast 5,500mAh batteries, supporting two extremely fast 100W wired and 80W wireless charging.
Memory configuration includes 12 to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage.
Visionary Camera Capabilities
The Mate 70 Pro and Pro+ support advanced triple-camera setups, the former having a 50MP main lens with variable aperture for further photography.
The Pro model uses an RGB sensor, and the Pro+ comes with an innovative RYYB sensor, offering better low-light performance and natural skin tones.
Other highlights include a 48MP telephoto camera with 4X optical zoom and a 40MP ultrawide sensor. Both models also introduce Huawei's XMage spectral imaging sensor, designed for unparalleled color accuracy.
HarmonyOS NEXT Steers Away From Usual Android OS
A milestone in terms of the Mate 70 series is made with HarmonyOS NEXT, which completely throws Android to the wind. The operating system exploits a proprietary microkernel which runs the apps in its unique APP format. The app ecosystem at present is limited to 15,000 applications, but the capabilities are steadily increasing with Huawei.
The pre-installed HarmonyOS 4.3 from Huawei closes the gap by supporting both HarmonyOS NEXT and standard Android APKs for now, which offers users flexibility in this transitionary period.
How Much is Huawei Mate 70?
The Mate 70 series is exclusive to China. It starts from around $760 for the Mate 70, while the Pro model is at $895, and the Pro+ model sits at an astonishing $1,171. The expensive RS variant goes for a whole $1,653.
Global availability remains uncertain, but Huawei's latest offerings signify a significant evolution in smartphone technology. The fact that it breaks free from its dependence on US tech is already a big move in the making.
