Mate70 Pro+ Feather White In-Depth Review: HarmonyOS NEXT Leads Huawei's New Journey

Mate70 Pro+ Feather White In-Depth Review: HarmonyOS NEXT Leads Huawei's New JourneyMore than a year later, the Mate70 series has finally arrived. Previous generations of Mate phones have left a deep impression on me, and the arrival of the Mate70 series marks a new era for Huawei smartphones

Mate70 Pro+ Feather White In-Depth Review: HarmonyOS NEXT Leads Huawei's New Journey

More than a year later, the Mate70 series has finally arrived. Previous generations of Mate phones have left a deep impression on me, and the arrival of the Mate70 series marks a new era for Huawei smartphones. Unlike previous Huawei phones, the Mate70 series debuts with the pure-blood HarmonyOS NEXT. This is not only one of Huawei's core competitive advantages in future industry competition, but also a severe test for Huawei. This article will share our detailed experience with the Mate70 Pro+ in Feather White, delving into aspects such as its design, AI features, and HarmonyOS NEXT ecosystem development.

I. Classic Design, Exquisite Craftsmanship

Many of my colleagues at Lei Technology use white phones, as the simple black and white colors are both common and classic. My Mate70 Pro+, also in Feather White, utilizes a cotton fiber material combined with a gold thread and silver brocade process for its back cover. Unlike the smooth feel of traditional glass, it boasts a silk-like smoothness and is completely fingerprint-resistant. The camera module retains the classic star ring design, but its smaller than those on other flagship phones, resulting in a more harmonious visual appearance.

The titanium alloy frame seamlessly blends with the body, offering a smooth, comfortable grip. The slightly curved edges on the front significantly reduce the presence of the bezel and minimize accidental touches. With the SIM card inserted and a factory screen protector applied, the Mate70 Pro+ weighs 230.3g. Considering its massive 5700mAh battery, 6.9-inch super-large screen, three flagship-level cameras, and a 1.5-million-channel authentic color camera, this weight is acceptable; after all, which top-tier flagship weighs less than 220g these days?

At 79.5mm wide, the Mate70 Pro+ is perhaps the widest phone I've ever used, about 3mm wider than the flagship phone I currently use from another brand. Overall, the Mate70 Pro+ continues Huawei's design language, with its four-curved front and circular rear design resulting in a consistently high aesthetic appeal. The small, circular rear camera module, combined with the larger body size, makes the phone appear more refined, and the camera module doesnt interfere with the index finger during use.

II. AI Everywhere, Delivering a New Experience

With AI becoming the dominant theme in the digital technology industry, Huawei, as an early adopter of AI in the smartphone field, naturally caters to consumer needs by incorporating nine AI features into the Mate70 series: AI Motion Trajectory, AI Protagonist Moment, AI Time Travel, AI Smart Control Key, AI Air Transmission, AI Call Summary, AI Message Companion, AI Noise Reduction Call, and AI Silent Call, covering sports, photography, office work, and daily life.

Most of these AI functions are easy to understand and are also available on phones from other brands. However, AI Air Transmission might be unique in the smartphone industry. Unlike Apple's AirDrop, Huawei's AI Air Transmission truly achieves "contactless" operation. Simply hold your palm above the phone and clench your fist (a squeeze and release) to take a screenshot or select an image from your gallery. Then, extend your fist above another Huawei device to transfer the selected image or screenshot. In testing, as long as you don't make deliberate unusual gestures, the Mate70 Pro+ accurately recognizes the action. You can send files to your other devices for cross-device work or share photos and videos with friends' Huawei phones.

As early as the Mate 30 Pro, Huawei used a gesture sensor to implement an Always-On Display that responds to gaze. Subsequently, numerous gesture commands were added. Now, Huawei allows file transfer through gestures, further exploring the possibilities of gesture sensors. This accumulated technology and experience on mobile devices may play a larger role in Huawei's future AR devices.

The AI Smart Control Key also differs from the multi-function keys found on many phones. Japanese phone manufacturers often equip their products with multi-function keys that, when pressed, activate certain functions. The Mate70 Pro+'s Smart Control key integrates with the fingerprint unlock power button; a double-tap is all it takes to activate it. I set it to Smart Screen Recognition, and after two consecutive taps of the power button, the phone automatically recognizes the content on the screen and provides options for word selection and full-screen translation.

As early as 2013, Huawei pioneered the development of a full-stack AI solution. Today, Huawei phones, tablets, and PCs incorporate numerous AI features. The new Mate70 series flagship adds nine AI features, continuing to enhance user experience through AI. Thanks to AI technology, the smoothness and power consumption of HarmonyOS NEXT have been significantly improved compared to previous generations. During my usage, the Mate70 Pro+ experienced no lag or stuttering, and battery life was excellent; a single charge easily lasted a day, and even two days with lighter usage.

III. HarmonyOS NEXT Ecosystem Maturity Exceeds Expectations

At the Mate70 series launch event, Yu Chengdong, Chairman of Huawei's Consumer Business Group, stated that all phones and tablets launched next year (2025) will be equipped with native HarmonyOS NEXT. At the first HarmonyOS Ecosystem Conference, Xu Zhijun, Huawei's rotating chairman, said that 100,000 applications are a sign of the HarmonyOS ecosystem's maturity in meeting consumer needs and Huawei's goal for the next six months to a year. Abandoning Android compatibility has been listed by Huawei as a task in progress.

The Mate70 Pro+'s settings page shows that the HarmonyOS NEXT version number is 5.0.0.111SP2. Setting the version number to "5" indirectly confirms that HarmonyOS 4 is the last generation of HarmonyOS compatible with Android.

Smartphones are an essential part of our daily lives, and the foundation for meeting our needs is having millions of apps. However, we typically use only about 10 apps daily. As long as commonly used applications are covered, HarmonyOS NEXT should not have ecosystem problems. So, does the current HarmonyOS NEXT software ecosystem meet our daily needs?

Testing shows that mainstream apps in categories such as domestic shopping, food delivery, office work, lifestyle, and entertainment have largely completed their adaptation to HarmonyOS NEXT. Apps that haven't adapted can often be used through Alipay or WeChat mini-programs. For example, the Traffic Management 12123 app doesn't have a native HarmonyOS version yet, but the app store recommends using the service through Alipay.

Games may currently be a minor weakness in the HarmonyOS NEXT ecosystem. Many games don't have cross-platform compatibility between iOS and Android to maximize profits. Users may be hesitant to switch to a native HarmonyOS version if their game progress, equipment, and collectibles can't be transferred.

Fortunately, two popular mobile games, Honor of Kings and Peace Elite, are actively adapting to HarmonyOS NEXT, releasing a "preliminary version" of Honor of Kings and a "beta version" of Peace Elite. Currently, the Peace Elite beta version is unplayable, indicating that certain maps or game modes are unavailable. The Honor of Kings preliminary version, however, is playable and supports 120 frames per second. I played a game, and the 120fps was maintained throughout without any frame rate fluctuationsthough my opponents were too strong, and I lost badly.

Smaller games like Candy Crush Saga, Happy Landlord, Plants vs. Zombies, and Subway Surfers have released native HarmonyOS versions. After years of development, while HarmonyOS NEXT's app numbers still lag behind Android and iOS, highly downloaded apps have largely completed their adaptation, making daily use possible. Although few games are currently adapted to HarmonyOS NEXT, the inclusion of Honor of Kings and Peace Elite indicates that game developers have recognized the platform's potential. Companies with substantial financial and human resources, such as Tencent and Alibaba Games, have adapted some games; smaller companies may require more time to develop native HarmonyOS game versions.

IV. The Beginning of Huawei's New Smartphone Journey

Huawei's confidence in abandoning Android compatibility completely next year, equipping all new phones and tablets with HarmonyOS NEXT, stems not only from its brand influence, strong financial resources, and technological reserves, but also, and crucially, from consumer support. Huawei's large user base consists of high-quality consumers, and developers who want to reach this market will naturally strive to adapt their software to pure-blood HarmonyOS.

The arrival of the Mate70 series, the first to feature HarmonyOS NEXT, marks the beginning of Huawei's new journey. Nevertheless, abandoning Android compatibility presents a significant challenge for Huawei. If the ecosystem fails to meet user needs, some consumers may choose not to buy the Mate70 series. The good news is that, based on my experience, mainstream apps in various categories have largely adapted to HarmonyOS NEXT, making daily use completely problem-free.

Consumer and developer support make me even more optimistic about HarmonyOS NEXT's future. It may not take long before we see a HarmonyOS that rivals iOS and Android.

Returning to the Mate70 Pro+ itself, its exquisite design, unique side fingerprint sensor, nine AI features, significantly improved battery life, and the