Huawei, the electronics company whose name nobody can pronounce correctly, is challenging the big names in the handset biz with its latest phone. Called the Ascend P6, it’s a super-slender (6mm thick) Android device with the kind of specs generally only seen in high-end handsets from the likes of Samsung, HTC and Sony, encased in more metal and glass than previously seen on Huawei’s other phone designs and with a touchscreen so sensitive, it can be manipulated through gloves.
The P6’s best trick, however, is that it has been designed specifically to take self-portraits, or “selfies” as they’re becoming known in internet-speak, with a 5MP front-facing camera and “instant facial beauty” software that turns every subject into a supermodel. Or at least, a slightly less blemished version of themselves.
This appeal to everyday narcissists, combined with a targeted price of around the R5k mark might be the combination that slays the giants, or at the very least tickles their kneecaps a bit.
But before you get too excited at the P6’s relatively low price, we received a statement from the company’s local PR representatives saying that the targeted price may not be what we actually pay due to the current Rand/dollar fluctuations. In the same statement, Huawei confirmed that the P6 will be available locally in September 2013 and that the company is “targeting the leading operators in the market and their respective outlets”.
Specs:
4.7-inch 720p display
Huawei-developed 1.5GHz quad-core processor
8-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front-facing camera
2GB of RAM
2,000 mAh battery
8GB of internal storage, microSD slot
Huawei’s Emotion user interface overlaid atop Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean).
Available in black, white, pink
