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Two of the best smartphones you can’t buy will soon come in special editions

Published Dec 26th, 2018 7:15AM EST
Mate 20 Pro vs. Nova 4
Image: Huawei

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If you’re a fan of special edition phones, then you should know two such devices are coming soon. They may not be as exciting as the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition that launched a few days ago, when it comes to “special edition” features, but they’re still flagship devices worthy of your attention. The only problem with these devices is that you might not be able to buy them in certain markets, US included.

In spite of not being able to sell its devices through carrier partnership in the US, and in spite of having to face criticism in other markets allied with the States, Huawei was still able to sell more than 200 million handsets this year, a significant milestone in the company’s history. After all, it’s no secret that Huawei wants to overtake both Samsung and Apple and become the number one smartphone seller in the world.

To celebrate the accomplishment, the Chinese maker will launch on January 1st special edition versions of the Mate 20 Pro and Nova 4 handsets. Both devices were unveiled in the past few months, with the former contributing some five million units to Huawei’s overall smartphone sales this year.

Unveiled in October, the Mate 20 Pro copies the iPhone X’s notch and the Galaxy S9’s curved edges but packs several features that aren’t available on other Android handsets and not even the iPhone. The Mate 20 Pro is one of the best iPhone XS alternatives out there, at least on paper — that is, if you can find it in your market.

The Nova 4, meanwhile, is Huawei’s first phone with a camera hole display, the same kind of screen design that Samsung will use for the Galaxy S10 next year. The phone features specs on par with other 2018 Android phones, as well as a 48-megapixel camera on the back, part of the triple-lens camera module.

The special edition Mate 20 Pro will come in jade green, featuring 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage per Digitimes. The limited Nova 4 edition, meanwhile, will rock just 128GB of flash memory, and come in peach red. Both handsets will have a gold emblem on the back marking the 200 million sales milestone, as well as gold Huawei logo, as seen in the image above. Both phones will be available in China, Huawei’s home country, although it’s unclear whether they will be launched in other international markets.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.