The Huawei P40 series is the device and telecom giant’s next entry in the premium smartphone segment. It has leaked and leaked, and has leaked more times than we’ve had nights out this month. This article is a roundup of everything we know about the P40 phones so far.

(Update, March 27: And they’re launched! Read These are the Huawei P40, P40 Pro, P40 Pro Plus flagship phones and Huawei P40, P40 Pro: Prices, specs, preorder details in the Philippines.)

(Update, March 22: Latest leaks here: Huawei P40, P40 Pro: Actual picture, more leaked specs.)

(Update, March 10: Recent development! Read Huawei P40 series March 26 launch to be online-only event.)

(Update, January 28: We might just have our first look of the top-end model. See This could be the Huawei P40 Pro Premium Edition.)

We expect big things, particularly on the imaging front. But that’s to be expected considering Huawei‘s focus on innovating in the mobile-photography space, especially when it comes to flagships lined up for the first half of the year. The rest of the hardware also suggests the company has a potential game changer on its hands yet again. These are the reasons why we’re optimistic.

Expect the Huawei P40, Huawei P40 Pro, and Huawei P40 Pro Premium Edition

Similar to what Samsung is expected to do with the Galaxy S20 series at the next Unpacked event, Huawei is rumored to launch three new handsets in the P40 range. Ranked from least expensive to most expensive, there’s the P40, P40 Pro, and P40 Pro Premium Edition.

With its top-of-the-line price point, the latter will boast the highest specs of the three devices. The Premium Edition moniker might mean a higher RAM and built-in storage configuration than the standard and Pro models.

Huawei P40 series: Camera comparison

The P40 Pro Premium Edition is a late addition to the rumor mill and has been speculated to feature five rear cameras in a rectangular module. The setup could include a periscope telephoto lens with 240mm focal length that delivers up to 10x optical zoom, making it unprecedented in the industry’s history.

Speaking of, the P40 will likely sport a triple-lens setup on the back, while the P40 Pro is said to feature four cameras, adding a periscope telephoto lens and a ToF sensor in the mix for better AR performance and portrait-style shots.

The higher-end model will reportedly pack a 125mm lens for 5x optical zoom, a 40-megapixel cine camera, and a 52-megapixel main image sensor. There’s talk that the super-high-resolution sensor is a custom design by Sony and can combine 16 pixels into one.

SEE ALSO: Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G new best camera phone on DxOMark

That would mean the camera could take pictures with a resolution of 3.25 megapixels. The larger pixels from the 16x binning will lead to higher-quality photos and videos in low light. On the flip side, though, fewer megapixels would lead to reduced detail, but it could be enhanced with software.

As for the base variant, the P40 will allegedly sport the same 52- and 40-megapixel cameras on the Huawei P40 Pro, plus an 8-megapixel telephoto camera capable of 3x optical zoom. That’s still impressive, especially if you’re not into photography at all.

For selfies, all three phones have dual cameras in front, with the extra camera heavily speculated to include a wider lens for group pictures. The cameras will be housed in a pill-shaped hole in the screen.

Possible internal specs

The exact specs are still up in the air, and it’s impossible to say with certainty what changes Huawei will make to the P40 series. It’s likely that the 7nm Kirin 990 launched in the Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro will be used to power the new devices, with optional 5G connectivity at a premium.

SEE ALSO: Debunking myths: Huawei Mobile Services explained and How Huawei plans to grow its business through its ecosystem

According to reports, the P40 Pro might get up to a 5,500mAh battery and 55 watts USB-C fast charging, thanks to Huawei’s latest SuperCharge standard. In terms of software, the P40 and P40 Pro will run EMUI 10 with Huawei Mobile Services or HMS.

Huawei P40, P40 Pro, P40 Pro Premium Edition hardware

While the three phones look similar based on leaked renders, only the Pro variants will be equipped with a curved OLED screen. The Huawei P40 features a flat OLED display, measuring around 6.2 inches, although it should get the same in-screen fingerprint reader as the other models. The P40 Pro is rumored to have a 6.5-inch diagonal, while the Premium Edition variant might arrive with a slightly bigger display.

Another thing we think we’ll see on the three devices is a 120Hz refresh rate for the screens. Having a faster display helps make animations and scrolling look smoother. It can also provide a competitive advantage when gaming.

The Huawei P40 series will come in five colors — Black, Blush Gold, Deep Sea Blue, Silver Frost, and Ice White. The P30 and P30 Pro had as many colors when the phones launched last year. The company is also said to offer the Pro versions in a ceramic body, which would make them nearly scratch-proof.

Huawei is said to offer the Pro versions in a ceramic body, which would make them nearly scratch-proof

When will Huawei launch the P40, P40 Pro, and P40 Pro Premium Edition?

If you’re hoping to get your hands on the P40 series, your wait won’t be as painful as it would be for other flagship devices. Huawei CEO Richard Yu has already confirmed that an event will be held in Paris sometime in March to announce its latest and greatest handsets.

Meanwhile, famed leakster Evan Blass (aka @evleaks on Twitter) tweeted a date — March 26 — for the potential launch of the new phones.

The Huawei P40, P40 Pro, and P40 Pro Premium Edition could be launched March 26 in Paris

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