Huawei launches Mate 50 with an iPhone-like notch and satellite texting

[Jan]

Huawei Mate 50 launched — with satellite texting and an iPhone-like notch

Huawei has launched its latest flagship smartphone range — the Mate 50 series — with support for satellite texting in areas without cellular connectivity.

The feature will allow users to communicate with China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System for sending short messages and navigating.

 

[FiestaST]

Careful, you mentioned “iPhone-like” that means trouble will ensue.

 

[Dups!]

Wonder why they didn't go full-on satellite calling as well.

 

[RazedInBlack]

That rear camera though.

 

[Dylan_G]

Don't think it would matter if the phone itself had rockets that launched it into outer space to *be* an actual satellite... Still no GMS.

When it comes to internal hardware, the entire Mate 50 line-up is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip without 5G connectivity.

That is because Huawei cannot buy the latest Qualcomm chips with 5G support due to US trade restrictions, which have also cut it off from Google Mobile Services.

 

[backstreetboy]

Don't think it would matter if the phone itself had rockets that launched it into outer space to *be* an actual satellite... Still no GMS.

Doubt anyone in China cares.

 

[Dolby]

Wonder why they didn't go full-on satellite calling as well.

Maybe they feel other markets (other than China) aren’t going to be popular, hence rather focus on popular markets

 

[EL'Diablo]

the notch is the selfie camera? jirre @Jan

 

[SykomantiS]

No Google, no like.

 

[RedViking]

Wonder when the Smartphone hype is going to end. There are no major differences between phones anymore and they all look alike. Crazy that this is still going on. If only they made the stuff to last longer.

 

[NeonNinja]

No Google. No fun.

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

But Iphone had it first

 

[Sarg3_ZN]

Wonder when the Smartphone hype is going to end. There are no major differences between phones anymore and they all look alike. Crazy that this is still going on. If only they made the stuff to last longer.

and improved the battery tech

 

[AfricanTech]

Wonder when the Smartphone hype is going to end. There are no major differences between phones anymore and they all look alike. Crazy that this is still going on. If only they made the stuff to last longer.

What do you mean by 'last longer'?

There are iPhone 7's still doing yeoman duty in my household (replaced the batteries)

 

[RedViking]

replaced the batteries

They don't make it easy to replace batteries.

 

[AfricanTech]

They don't make it easy to replace batteries.

They don't?

Cost me R750 per phone and was done same day.

Not a massive hardship.

 

[epah]

Wonder when the Smartphone hype is going to end. There are no major differences between phones anymore and they all look alike. Crazy that this is still going on. If only they made the stuff to last longer.

Iphones last forever. It is the other junk that barely lasts 6 months.

 

[RedViking]

They don't?

Cost me R750 per phone and was done same day.

Not a massive hardship.

I speak in general.

 

[RedViking]

Iphones last forever. It is the other junk that barely lasts 6 months.

I like Xiaomi. After sales service in SA is lacking though. Think they could do really well if they put more effort into this.

 

[RedViking]

Iphones last forever. It is the other junk that barely lasts 6 months.

They do seem to last longer in general. Although from what I observed from iPhone owners, they start slowing down after 2 or 3 years and random restarts happen. But one needs to look at the ratio of the amount of phones and how many experience issue. Samsung also last forever. Xiaomi is a hit and miss, but really nice phones for the price.