Huawei today launched its first flagship phone for 2016: the P9. The handset packs in a lot of new technological innovations, especially in the camera department, that makes it worth a look. It is also the first phone from the company that packs in technology from Leica, a German-based company known for its camera prowess.
Let’s talk about the highlight of the P9: the dual 12MP camera setup at its rear. The IMX286 sensors from Sony feature 1.25um large pixels, and Huawei boasts that the camera setup is able to absorb 270% more light than the iPhone 6s and 90% more light than the Galaxy S7.
What makes Huawei’s dual camera setup different from others is the implementation: one is a normal 12MP RGB smartphone camera sensor, while the other is a monochrome camera sensor. This setup allows the P9’s camera to absorb more light, capture details more accurately, and reduce the overall noise in low-light conditions. The cameras also use Leica’s SUMMARIT lenses, with the phone also coming with three different film modes — Standard, Vivid Colors and Smooth Colors — with each mode rendering the “authentic color and style of Leica.”
https://youtu.be/e4TXO49n0P8
Huawei has also implemented its own Hybrid Focus technology on the P9 that uses three different methods for quick autofocus times: laser, depth calculation and contrast. Depending on the scene, the camera automatically selects a method that best captures the scene.
“Leica and Huawei share an uncompromising commitment to imaging excellence, and our partnership will put outstanding photography into the hands of more consumers around the world,” said Oliver Kaltner, CEO, Leica Camera AG. “We are deepening our collaboration to give users a more optimal smartphone photography experience.”
The P9 is made from aerospace-class aluminum, with diamond-cut edges and a “superior-grade” 2.5D glass. The front of the handset houses a 5.2-inch Full HD IPS LCD display, while underneath the metal body lies a Kirin 955 chipset, a 3,000mAh battery, 3/4GB RAM, and 32/64GB of storage space. Other specs of the handset include a USB Type-C port, a fingerprint scanner, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE, a triple antenna design for better network reception, dual-SIM slots, and more.
Huawei will also be launching the P9 Plus — a bigger variant of the P9 — that will come with a larger 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage space, and a 3,400mAh battery. It will come with Rapid Charge technology that will give users up to six hours of talk time after only a 10-minute charge. The handset will also feature 3D Touch-like functionality as first seen on the Mate S, though this time around Huawei will update its software to take better advantage of it.
The Huawei P9 will be the first one to go on sale this month in Europe and Asia, with the P9 Plus launching in May. The P9 will set you back by €599 for the 3GB version, with the 64GB/4GB RAM variant priced at €749.
