First impressions: Huawei Mate 20 Pro

By Emily Chung

As the Motoring Editor, I appreciate technology in smartphones because vehicles have similar advances. What we see revealed in the smartphone industry is shared in the automotive industry. Case-in-point, AI technology is now used in smartphones and new vehicles.

The Huawei Mate20Pro is released in Canada this week (November 8) through major carriers and I had the opportunity to test out the device since its global reveal in London, UK last month. With a few weeks under my belt, I wanted to experience the value of Huawei’s newest smartphone in my everyday routine and share with you a practical review.

Huawei Mate20Pro

The first feature that was impressive is the camera. Equipped with Leica’s camera technology, Huawei boasts its “most sophisticated smartphone camera system” that includes 40MP wide angle lens, 20MP ultra wide angle lens, and an 8MP 3x telephoto lens.

Now, I’ve come to expect incredible smartphone photography from Huawei having used their Mate10 and P series devices. The Huawei Mate20Pro brings a new Leica Ultra Wide Angle feature and has the ability to capture at a 16mm ultra wide angle.

It also holds the title for highest light sensitivity (ISO 102400). I sat in the lower bowl of the Scotiabank Arena and the ultra wide angle feature allowed me to capture the entire rink in one shot – no panoramic takes here:

Huawei Mate20Pro Ultra Wide Angle

I was equally impressed with its zoom capability. Take a look at the picture below – hockey players moving quickly during the game and my shot was clear.

The camera technology also detects when you are taking a Super Macro photo. I got up close and personal with this gerbera daisy.

Huawei Mate20Pro Super Macro

Typically, smartphone cameras start blurring when you get too close; however, the Huawei Mate20Pro takes pictures with great clarity even at a 2.5cm distance.

Let’s go the other way around. With a 24MP 3D Camera, my selfies turned out great. The one below is with my beautiful friend, Patricia, at a recent gala event. The lights were dim, we had a fireplace right behind us (emitting more of a yellowish light), and this picture turned out wonderfully!

I’ve said this before… what good is an incredible smartphone if you don’t have anyone to share the moments with? The Huawei Mate20Pro captures these life moments and displays them at its best.

Do you have a friend who seems to be low on charge all the time with their phone? Well, you can help them out and wirelessly charge their phone too!

The Huawei Mate20Pro has the World’s 1^st Wireless Reverse Charging capability (provided the other phone can receive wireless charging, of course). Just hold the phones back-to-back. In the image below, I’m charging my staff’s iPhone. Very cool!

Huawei Mate20Pro Wireless Reverse Charging

The Huawei Mate20Pro has a 40W SuperCharge, with 10V/4A that can charge 1% in 30 seconds, and an ultra long-lasting battery (4200mAh).

I love the dual-speaker design for the phone - in addition to the usual speaker at the bottom of the device, there is one located at the top for a balanced sound output. In order to maximize the smartphone’s screen (8.39” for the Mate20Pro), the device has an in-screen fingerprint detector.

Lastly, if you don’t like the idea of backing up your images and data to a cloud service, the Huawei Mate20Pro has the World’s 1st Nano Memory Card external storage capability.

These are just some of the features I appreciate most from the Huawei Mate20Pro! I’ve had a lot of fun with the phone, and I’ve benefitted from the large screen to run through some presentations for work purposes too. For more information on the Huawei Mate20Pro, visit Huawei Mobile Canada.