Huawei Mate70 Series: A Stunning Arrival Can it Outshine Apple on November 26th?

Huawei Mate70 Series: A Stunning Arrival Can it Outshine Apple on November 26th?On November 18th, 2024, Huawei's official terminal Weibo account and Richard Yu's video account officially announced the upcoming launch of the Huawei Mate70 series at the "Huawei Mate Brand Ceremony" on November 26th at 2:30 PM. This news quickly sparked heated discussions, with "Mate70 series" reaching second place on Weibo's trending topics within minutes, foreshadowing a new market storm

Huawei Mate70 Series: A Stunning Arrival Can it Outshine Apple on November 26th?

On November 18th, 2024, Huawei's official terminal Weibo account and Richard Yu's video account officially announced the upcoming launch of the Huawei Mate70 series at the "Huawei Mate Brand Ceremony" on November 26th at 2:30 PM. This news quickly sparked heated discussions, with "Mate70 series" reaching second place on Weibo's trending topics within minutes, foreshadowing a new market storm. Significantly, pre-orders for the Mate70 series opened at 12:08 PM on the same day, exceeding one million within an hour, with long queues forming at offline stores. This reaffirmed the powerful brand appeal of the Mate series and the strong consumer anticipation. Since the Kirin 980 era, each generation of Mate flagship phones has garnered enthusiastic consumer support, making the Mate70 series' explosive pre-orders entirely expected.

Huawei Mate70 Series: The King's Return

Ahead of new product launches, manufacturers typically employ various strategies to generate hype. However, Huawei, possessing brand influence comparable to Apple, doesn't need such tactics. Nevertheless, information regarding the Mate70 series has emerged through supply chain channels, domestic and international tech bloggers, and industry insiders.

The Mate70 series is expected to launch in four versions: Standard Edition, Pro Edition, Pro+ Edition, and Mate70 RS Porsche Design. Currently, Huawei's official online store has opened pre-orders for the first three versions, with the highest configuration reaching 16GB+1TB of storage.

The screen specifications are expected to vary: the Mate70 Standard Edition will likely feature a 6.69-inch 1.5K straight screen, potentially with a single punch-hole design and no 3D facial recognition; while the Pro and Pro+ Editions are expected to boast 6.88-inch 1.5K 120Hz curved screens with 3D facial recognition.

The camera system is a major highlight, with a variable aperture across all models. The Standard Edition will likely feature a 50MP main camera with a 1/1.5-inch CMOS sensor and a 12MP periscope telephoto lens supporting 5x optical zoom; the Mate70 Pro is anticipated to have a 50MP main camera with a 1/1.3-inch sensor and a periscope telephoto macro lens with a 1/2.5-inch CMOS sensor, supporting 3.5x optical zoom. Wireless charging will be standard across the series, with the charging power likely remaining the same as the previous generation, but battery capacity is expected to increase to around 6000mAh.

The Mate70 series is rumored to be powered by the Kirin 9100, potentially based on a public CPU and GPU architecture rather than a custom design. The super core is said to be a Cortex-X1 with a clock speed of 2.67GHz. Notably, there are reports suggesting the use of ultrasonic side-mounted fingerprint unlocking across the entire series, causing online debate. While some praise its ergonomics and speed, others prefer the in-display fingerprint scanner for its speed, larger unlock area, and perceived premium feel.

Huawei Mate70 Series: Comprehensive Upgrade in Hardware and Software

The Mate70 series showcases significant hardware improvements, rivaling the iPhone 16 series and other Android flagships in imaging, screen technology, and charging capabilities. On the software side, the highly anticipated HarmonyOS NEXT has been officially released and is undergoing public testing, with over 15,000 native apps and services. However, compared to the millions of apps on Android and iOS, HarmonyOS's ecosystem still needs further development. While suitable for daily use and office tasks, it might fall short in gaming. HarmonyOS NEXT boasts improved fluidity and stability, a core competitive advantage, but could also impact purchasing decisions for some users. Huawei might consider offering both HarmonyOS 4 and HarmonyOS NEXT to cater to diverse needs.

The Mate70 series marks a new era for Huawei's hardware and software. The return of the Kirin 9100 will undoubtedly attract many loyal Huawei users to upgrade. However, facing tough competition from Apple, Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo, Honor, and others, the Mate70 series' ability to continue leading the domestic flagship market remains a question.

Market Competition: Can Huawei Surpass Apple?

IDC data shows that in Q3 2024, the domestic market share for phones over $600 (approximately RMB 4350) was 29.3%, a year-on-year increase of 3.7 percentage points, indicating growing consumer acceptance of high-end flagships. Canalys data reveals that Apple still led this market segment in Q2, but with a -7% year-on-year decline. This suggests a shift towards domestic flagship phones. Among domestic manufacturers, Huawei held the second position with a 30% market share, boasting a remarkable 82% year-on-year growth rate, significantly outpacing competitors.

This data highlights Huawei's strong brand influence and its powerful comeback. However, consumers should still focus on the product's hardware and software capabilities. While the Mate70 series' specifications may not be the absolute strongest in the competitive market, they adequately meet daily needs. Software optimization is equally crucial. Huawei flagship phones consistently receive positive reviews for their overall performance. The Mate70 series, with its powerful Kirin 9100 processor and HarmonyOS NEXT (claiming a 30% increase in fluidity and a 56-minute improvement in battery life compared to HarmonyOS 4), aims to match the fluidity of the iPhone 16 and other Android flagships.

The system-level AI assistant, "Xiaoyi Intelligent Body," is another highlight, offering convenient and efficient cross-app functionality. Huawei's strength in AI, backed by the Pangu large model and the "hundreds of models and thousands of forms" ecosystem, positions it as a leader in the field.

The Mate70 series, with upgraded hardware, system, and AI features, demonstrates strong competitiveness. Combined with Huawei's strong brand influence, its success is almost guaranteed.

Huawei vs. Apple: An Unexpected Double Eleven Battle

Late 2024 will see intense competition in the domestic phone market, with the high-end segment focused on Apple and Huawei. Apple typically launches its new phones in September and avoids Double Eleven sales due to high demand. However, this year, Apple's Tmall flagship store participated, offering RMB 500 coupons and up to RMB 1100 in trade-in discounts. This suggests Apple feels significant pressure from Huawei and other Android manufacturers.

Apple faces the challenge of Huawei's comeback and the rise of other Android players. Previously, Android phones lagged behind Apple in overall user experience, hindering high-end market competition. However, collaborative efforts from Qualcomm, MediaTek, Google, Sony, Samsung, and phone manufacturers like Xiaomi, Honor, OPPO, and vivo have significantly improved Android experiences, surpassing iPhones in demanding games. Apple's remaining advantage might be the iOS ecosystem.

Huawei, once hampered by supply chain issues, is making a strong comeback, dealing a significant blow to Apple. Around 2020, Huawei's flagship sales were comparable to Apple's. Despite a few years of decline, consumer recognition of Huawei's technological prowess and brand has never wavered. Huawei's phone sales have returned to the top three domestically, and its flagship market share is aggressively pursuing Apple's.

The showdown between the iPhone 16 and the Mate70 series is imminent. With strong brand recognition, superior specifications, and reasonable pricing, Huawei has the opportunity to gain significant market share by early next year, leading the domestic flagship market. Other Android manufacturers can capitalize on this by leveraging marketing and upcoming Ultra models. Apple faces the challenge of declining domestic sales, a lack of significant AI advantages, and a weakening iOS ecosystem. Improving product competitiveness is now a critical task for Apple.