Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 to be released in the Philippines?

We’ve reported that in support of Huawei, dealers and retailers in the Philippines will offer a special warranty program where customers can have their units fully refunded if Google apps, such as the Play Store and YouTube, stop functioning on their device within two years of purchasing it.

(Update, July 1: The phone has been launched in the Philippines! See Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 pops up for only P12,990 [$254] in PH.)

It covers many Huawei devices from the budget segment to the top tier. But the list of eligible phones and tablets also curiously includes one particular phone that hasn’t been released in the Philippines yet — the Huawei Y9 Prime 2019, which is identical to the Huawei P Smart Z that was announced for European markets.

The Y9 Prime 2019 has been listed with a price tag of €279 (about P16,327 or $313 converted) on Amazon Italy, but it has yet to make its local launch. As to when that might happen, it’s probably before August, when the full-refund program expires.

Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 price and specs via Revu Philippines — *Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 actually features a pop-up selfie camera — a first for the company*

We also think the Y9 Prime 2019 should cost slightly less than the Huawei P30 Lite, which currently goes for P16,990 ($326). A price tag between P15,000 ($287) and P16,000 ($307) seems reasonable for the base unit with 64GB storage.

To recap, the smartphone features a 6.59-inch edge-to-edge LCD display; a pop-up selfie camera — a first for the company; triple rear cameras with a super-wide-angle option and AI capabilities; a Kirin 710 with 4GB RAM; and a 4,000mAh battery that tops up via USB-C. In terms of software, it runs Huawei’s latest EMUI 9 on top of Android 9.0 Pie.

Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 specs

6.59-inch LCD display, 2,340 x 1,080 resolution (19.5:9)
Octa-core Kirin 710 processor
4GB RAM
64GB/128GB expandable storage
Triple 16MP, 8MP (ultra wide), 2MP (depth) rear cameras
Pop-up 16MP front camera
Fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted)
4,000mAh battery with USB-C charging
EMUI 9 on Android 9.0 Pie

Learn About This Author

Ramon Lopez

Reviews editor: Ramon "Monch" Lopez has 16 years of professional experience creating and editing content for print and digital publications such as Yahoo. He headed the gadgets-merchandising division of one of the Philippines’ largest retail operators somewhere in between.