Huawei P8 And P8max Bring The Fight To Apple And Samsung

Huawei has announced its intentions to challenge the smartphone industry’s big players with the release of a new flagship device, the Huawei P8.

Looking to take on the likes of Apple’s iPhone 6 and Samsung’s Galaxy S6, the metal-bodied P8 (pictured above) is Huawei’s most powerful smartphone yet; packing in a 5.2in Full HD screen powered by an octa-core 2.0Ghz Kirin 930 processor, 3GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, all packed in to a body just 6.4mm thick.

There’s also Android Lollipop 5.0 running alongside Huawei’s latest EMUI 3.1 software, all powered by a 2680mAh battery.

But the Chinese manufacturer didn’t limit itself to one release, also announcing the P8max (pictured below), a super-sized phablet version of the P8, featuring a mighty 6.8in FullHD display, longer battery life and a souped-up camera with unique light tracing technology.

Full power

At the launch event in London today, Huawei set out its plans to take on Apple and Samsung, with a particular focus on the need for a top-level camera.

The P8 comes with a 13MP rear camera with optical image stabilisation and the ability to rotate up to 1.6 degrees, alongside a 8MP front lens with new image enhancement settings to allow users to capture the perfect selfie.

The company was also keen to promote its Kirin 930 chipset, which it says boosts performance by approximately 20 percent compared with other phones with similar levels of battery life.

The P8 also supports 4G LTE, and features improved connectivity through its Signal+ dual antenna technology, which it says allows the smartphone to instantly switch between antennas, ensuring a continuous strong network connection.

It also comes with dual SIM capabilities to make it an ideal handset for both work and personal use.

User-friendly

“The goal of Huawei P8 is to become the most user-friendly smartphone for consumers globally” said Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group,

“Through in-depth market research, Huawei has addressed the most pressing pain points for premium smartphone users today. Huawei seamlessly combines the best elements of style and durability in this device, delivering a revolutionary user experience – especially in terms of camera capabilities and network connectivity.”

Two versions of the P8 will go on sale – a standard device for €499 (£350), and the premium version for €599 ($430). It will initially be available in more than 30 countries including China, Columbia, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, UAE and the United Kingdom.

The Huawei P8max will also be available in two editions – the standard device costing €549 (£395) and the premium version for €649 (£465).

Take our smartphones of 2014 quiz here!