Huawei Philippines has opened registrations for those interested in purchasing the new Mate 30 series when it becomes available in the country.

(Update, October 29: The series has been launched in the Philippines! See Huawei Mate 30, Mate 30 Pro now official in PH. Update, October 22: We have a date! Read Huawei Mate 30, Mate 30 Pro PH launch date revealed. Update, October 18: Local pricing is out! Read How much the Huawei Mate 30, Mate 30 Pro will cost in the Philippines. Update October 4: Our review is up! Read Huawei Mate 30 Pro review: An ideal mate?)

Yes, the Huawei Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro will be sold locally through official retail channels. However, their 5G versions won’t be available at launch; only the 4G variants have been confirmed for release. Which is fine, of course, as local telecom operators have yet to roll out networks that take advantage of the mobile standard that promises 20x faster speeds compared to 4G.

The registration page also explicitly indicates the latest flagships from the company won’t come with Google Mobile Services and Google apps preinstalled, and instead will launch with Huawei Mobile Services, which includes Huawei’s own app store called AppGallery. The devices will ship with EMUI 10 based on Android 10.

SEE ALSO: Huawei Mobile Services as Google Mobile Services replacement

In addition, the Huawei Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro arrive with redesigned front and rear panels with a circular camera cutout and faster and more efficient Kirin 990 processors. The Pro model has a more impressive screen that so sharply curves around the sides and two 40-megapixel cameras on the back.

A recently published in-depth review of the Mate 30 Pro’s camera system earned the Huawei the highest overall score for a smartphone from DxOMark. With a score of 121, it is four points ahead of the previous leader, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G.

READ ALSO: Huawei Mate 30 Pro is new highest-rated camera phone on DxOMark

Huawei is already offering the devices to customers in China, while the rest of the world will have to wait and see when they’ll actually be released internationally.  

In Europe where taxes are high, the Huawei Mate 30 is priced at €799 (around $882 or P46,118 converted), while the Huawei Mate 30 Pro starts at €1,099 (P63,368 or $1,215). The smartphones should be priced lower in the Philippines.

It will be interesting to see whether consumers outside of Huawei’s home market will embrace expensive, top-specced handsets without Google apps and services (at least officially).

SEE ALSO: How to install Google Play Store, apps on Huawei Mate 30 series

But there’s a glimmer of hope that the U.S. and China will finally put an end to the trade war that has escalated into a technology war, with Huawei, the world’s second-largest smartphone vendor, caught in the crossfire.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday told reporters that an agreement with China might happen sooner than people think, adding that the Chinese have recently purchased agricultural products in massive quantities from the United States. “They want to make a deal very badly,” he said.

Huawei Mate 30 vs Huawei Mate 30 Pro: Specs comparison

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