Huawei proudly launched the P9 and P9 Plus smartphones in London yesterday afternoon. The Huawei flagship device duo are the first to feature Leica optics, furthermore they are provided in dual-lens 12MP configurations to set "a new standard in smartphone photography".
The Huawei P9 and P9 Plus are basically the same phones in different sizes, just like the recent Apple iPhone 6/S/Plus models have been configured. Of course different sized phones use different screens and also vary in overall physical size and weight. Predictably, the battery in the larger Plus phone offers a higher capacity too. The other differences between the Huawei P9 models are in the amounts of RAM and storage configured; with the P9 being available with 3GB RAM with 32GB storage or 4GB RAM with 64GB storage, while the P9 Plus has a single configuration of 4GB RAM with 64GB storage. A microSD card slot allows either model to enjoy extra storage.
P9 and P9 Plus Fact Sheet
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|
P9 |
P9 Plus |
|
Size |
Height: 145mm; Width: 70.9mm; Depth: 6.95mm; Weight: 144g |
Height: 152.3mm; Width: 75.3mm; Depth: 6.98mm; Weight: 162g |
|
Display |
5.2-inch FHD, 2.5D glass |
5.5-inch FHD, 2.5D glass |
|
CPU |
Huawei Kirin 955 (64-bit), Octa-core (4 x 2.5GHz A72+ 4 x 1.8GHz A53) |
Huawei Kirin 955 (64-bit), Octa-core (4 x 2.5GHz A72+ 4 x 1.8GHz A53) |
|
Operating System |
Android 6.0 |
Android 6.0 |
|
Emotion UI |
EMUI 4.1 |
EMUI 4.1 |
|
Memory |
32GB ROM, 3GB RAM 64GB ROM, 4GB RAM |
64GB ROM, 4GB RAM |
|
Camera |
Rear: Dual 12MP(Monochrome & RGB) Front: 8MP |
Rear: Dual 12MP (Monochrome & RGB) Front: 8MP AF |
|
Battery |
3,000mAh |
3,400mAh |
Above you can clearly see the basic tech specs of the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus. There are a couple of standout features that catch the eye straight away. Firstly these smartphones use Huawei's own Kirin 955 (64-bit) Octa Core SoCs which incorporate with Mali T880-MP4 graphics. In leaked benchmarks published at the end of March the Kirin 955 offered acceptable performance but was easily beaten in AnTuTu by the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5.
The second standout feature, and what was most strongly trumpeted by Huawei, is the built-in dual-lens Leica lens main camera. Huawei says that one of the cameras is dedicated to RGB capture while the other works in monochrome to enhance detail. Working in tandem the Leica SUMMARIT lens based camera units "enable users to create images of superior detail, depth and colour," says Huawei. Dual-tone flash supports shooting in the lowest light conditions.
The main camera uses Huawei's Hybrid Focus technology based upon and intelligently selecting laser, depth calculation and/or contrast modes. The wide aperture f/2.2 lenses installed (with no camera bump) help the camera systems perform well in low light conditions and provide good depth of field shooting effects. Furthermore there is a 'Professional mode' offering full control of shutter speed, exposure, RAW files and more.
Other important features not spelled out in the tech specs table above include; a metal unibody construction, dual-SIM support, pressure sensitive display with 'Press Touch' UI features, an 8MP f/2.4 selfie camera, stereo speakers, a fingerprint sensor, connectivity via a virtual-triple-antenna architecture, fast charging via the USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm audio jack, an IR sensor, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS, 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, and a choice of Mystic Silver and Titanium Grey finishes in the UK.
In an email to HEXUS Huawei said that the P9 and P9 Plus will be available from early May from Carphone Warehouse, EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. The P9 will cost £449 (3GB + 32GB model), and the P9 Plus (4GB + 64GB) will be priced £549, with Vodafone snagging the Quartz Grey colour exclusive.
