Huawei is the latest smartphone manufacturer that is attempting to break into the United States with an inexpensive and unlocked smartphone, with the P8 Lite now on sale in the country for $249.99.
The smartphone, which can be purchased through channels such as Huawei's online store or through retail giant Amazon, is basically a lesser version of the powerful P8 which Huawei unveiled in April.
The P8 Lite looks similar to the P8 and P8 Max released by Huawei in other countries, but the P8 Lite has a body made of plastic as opposed to the aluminum seen in the more expensive versions of the device. The P8 Lite is also smaller, with a 5-inch 720p display that features a lower resolution. The smartphone also packs a 1.5GHz, octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor and 2GB of RAM, with 16GB of storage and an expandable memory option.
In comparison, the P8 features a 2GHz, octa-core Kirin 920 processor with 3GB of RAM, along with 32GB of storage with expandable memory. The screen of the P8 is a 5.2-inch, 1080p display.
However, Huawei did not make much effort to customize the smartphone for the United States market, aside from making sure it would be compatible with LTE networks in the country. The P8 Lite even ships still with Android 4.4 KitKat with a ton of customization thrown on top of it. This goes against the trend of lighter Android skins seen in the United States.
Huawei is offering a warranty over a two-year period for the P8 Lite, which addresses the concerns of customers over buying an unlocked device as opposed to purchasing a subsidized one from a carrier. Huawei will also provide customers with a "localized repair service" with free shipping and return of the smartphone, along with support apps that are pre-installed on the P8 Lite. In addition, Huawei has in place a call center based in the United States, with its website offering customers online chat support.
In addition to Huawei's online store and Amazon, the P8 Lite will be sold on B&H, Fry's and Best Buy. Amazon, however, will be the one to handle functions such as returns and service.
The reason for Huawei selling devices in the U.S. that are inferior versions of their smartphone models, however, is unclear, with the company's efforts to enter the U.S. market difficult to take seriously if they keep doing so.
Since the launch of Huawei's online store, only three smartphones have gone up for sale, with the Ascend Mate 2 and the SnapTo being the two previous ones before the P8 Lite.
