Finally, the cat is out of the bag: The Nova 5 series will be launched in China June 21, according to Huawei.

There’s no confirmation of the exact model names just yet, but let’s settle on the Huawei Nova 5i and Nova 5 for now.

Huawei Nova 5i

Based on the spec sheet that leaked out days ago, the Nova 5i is like the Huawei P20 Lite 2019 that’s already being sold in Switzerland for CHF299.95 (around P15,789 or $303) — except that:

• it’s available in 6GB/128GB and 8GB/128GB memory configurations and not just 4GB/128GB;
• its storage is not expandable; and
• it features a 24-megapixel hole-punch selfie camera and a 24MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP setup on the back instead of a 16-megapixel front shooter and a 16MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear system.

The Huawei Nova 5i is said to come with a 6.4-inch IPS-LCD display with a 2,310 x 1,080 resolution; a 3,900mAh battery; a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor; and EMUI 9.0 based on Android 9.0 Pie out of the box. The unspecified 2.2GHz octa-core processor listed on the site of Chinese certification authority TENAA could be a Kirin 710 chip.

Huawei Nova 5

The Huawei Nova 5, on the other hand, is more of a mystery, as its specs have not appeared on TENAA just yet. We’re getting conflicting information: that it’s powered by either a Kirin 980 or Kirin 970 chip and that its screen has a hole-punch front camera or a pop-up one.

More consistent Nova 5 details point to a 6.4-inch display, an in-screen fingerprint reader, a 4,200mAh battery with support for fast charging, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a primary 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor, and a time-of-flight or ToF sensor.

Are these two likewise launching in the Philippines? We have a feeling at least one of them will.

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