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Huawei have been growing at a steady rate in the last year or so, becoming a more recognised name in the west, and beginning to squeeze market share in China.
So much so that you’d pretty much call them established now, and as a result they’re feeling bold enough to really target perceived smartphone rivals. At the IFA tech conference in Berlin, that has been Apple.
With an iPhone event taking place next Wednesday, it’s timely that Huawei should choose now to put Cupertino in its crosshairs. We went to take a closer look.
The new flagship smartphone has the premium metal and glass combination that consumers now expect of the high-end phones on the market.
The 5.5-inch screen goes all the way to the edge of the device, maximising screen space without feeling as though it’s too big for your hand. That screen is also AMOLED and full HD, and, combined with the Huawei take on Android 5.1, its display makes for a pleasant sight.
What has been getting a lot of headlines is the inclusion of a version of what Apple calls Force Touch – pressure sensitive technology within the screen. Huawei call it a Smart-pressure Sensitive Screen, and it can be used to zoom in on photos, preview apps and images, and even weigh things. Yes, you can use the screen of the Mate S to actually weigh items.
That’s on top of being able to use one or two knuckles and “knocking” the screen to take screenshots or a video respectively. Though in truth this feature feels far more gimmicky, and less likely to actually be deployed regularly in the real world.
The rear of the device also has an updated finger print sensor. This doesn’t just enable you to unlock the phone with biometrics, it now also functions like a mouse pad on a laptop, with swipes across it enabling you to navigate through the OS.
There’s a big emphasis on luxury with the device too, from the already-mentioned metal design right down to the names of the three colours the Mate S comes in: Luxurious Gold, Titanium Grey and Mystic Champagne.
It’s a level of quality that is telling from the moment you pick up the phone – and you can’t help but compare it to the iPhone 6 Plus as you roll it in your hands.
It’s still classed as a disruptor, but the Mate S has a presence to it that makes you take it seriously, and many consumers might just do that.
The Apple Watch broke new ground in the way technology and fashion can be sold together with a marketing campaign that saw it appear in Vogue China, as well as go on-sale in Paris and London fashion boutiques.
Huawei watched with interest, and has now followed a similar pattern – roping in models Karlie Kloss and Sean O’Pry to wear the device in their promotional shots. Much like the Mate S, this feels like the Chinese firm rolling out the band to announce their arrival with a fanfare.
But what happens when you get the watch on your wrist?
First off there are three versions: Active, Classic and Elite. The latter is of course finished in rose gold. There’s plenty of customisation beyond that too, with customers also having the ability to change the bezel frame that surrounds the sapphire-glass watch face, with stainless steel among the options.
There’s a similar broad range of bands across the three styles as well.
In short, getting the exact look you want shouldn’t be a problem – instead the issue lies in how the watch looks as a whole, as well as how it feels.
The stainless steel version – complete with steel bezel and frame – is extremely shiny.
It is also very prone to showing up fingerprints all over it. As a consequence of both of these factors, it does look a little cheap – as though it is trying too hard to be noticed.
Other versions of the watch do fare better – the Swiss-inspired design is more obvious in the sporty Active and premium Elite versions.
But one ace-up-the-sleeve Huawei has been keen to point out is that, thanks to Android Wear’s recent compatibility expansion, iPhone users can now pair their devices with Android smartwatches, including this one.
Overall, it’s a very different proposition to the Apple Watch because of its look and chunkiness on the wrist.
But Huawei is very much on the radar now, and they’re hoping to stay there – but like many manufacturers they’re finding smartwatches are not easy to get right.
