You can criticize Samsung all you want for copying Apple or being incredibly slow on Android software, but Samsung happens to be at the forefront of Android device development when it comes to design and hardware. Or that used to be the case, because this year, it’s not only Apple’s three new iPhones that are going to give Samsung nightmares. So far, it was customary for a new iPhone to launch every September sporting specs that would not be available on Android for at least six more months, and Samsung was fine with that arrangement. But this will be the first year an Android vendor will challenge everyone in the business with a family of device that will have no rival until early next year.
If you’ve been following the tech news cycle, you already know that the company is Huawei, which later on Tuesday will unveil the Mate 20 phones. A series of leaks previously revealed almost everything about the phones, and we already know the Mate 20 Pro will be the best iPhone XS rival this year. But we have a fresh leak for you that show all three Mate 20 models the Chinese tech conglomerate will launch in London, including the Mate 20, the Mate 20 Pro, and the Mate 20 X.
Huawei Mate20 series models. pic.twitter.com/onBshRD7Tj
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) October 16, 2018
Images showing all three phones side by side leaked on social media before Huawei’s media event, as you can see above and below, while a hands-on video showing the new Mate 20 Pro was posted on YouTube by an early reviewer — that video has been removed since then.
Das eventuell schlechteste Unboxing der Welt zum Huawei Mate 20 Prohttps://t.co/d00RcuMPQ7
— Daniil (@danilkazzz) October 15, 2018
These three phones are going to be Samsung’s new nightmare, as they’ll pack novel features that will not be available on any Samsung flagship phone until early next year: an in-display fingerprint-sensor, a triple-lens camera on the back, Face ID-like 3D face recognition, and a 7nm processor that will be second only to Apple’s A12 Bionic that powers this year’s iPhone XR and XS models.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro was accidentally leaked. Notice the bezels on both sides, it's as narrow as the Galaxy S8, great, and the chin is small. The only unsatisfactory is Notch. pic.twitter.com/6S6bzNJ6l2
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) October 15, 2018
The Mate 20 X seems to be a gaming-centric phone that features an even bigger screen than the Mate 20 Pro, and bigger than the Note 9. The phone would also pack a built-in stylus, which would make it a direct Note alternative.
Samsung’s advantage seems to be that it has a substantial presence in the US, a market that’s still resistant to Huawei for its ties to China. That might not be enough, however, given that the Galaxy S9 and Note 9 were perceived as mild updates over their predecessors. Also worth noting is that Huawei is the undisputed king of China when it comes to smartphone sales, a market where Samsung isn’t even in the top 5 list.
