Huawei has announced the P20 Pro: the world’s first smartphone to feature a triple-camera setup.
Co-developed with Leica, the device employs 40MP f/1.6 wideangle and 8MP f/2.8 telephoto camera modules, alongside the firm’s unique 20MP monochrome camera.
The firm says that its so-called ‘Lightfusion’ processing combines four pixels into one from the main 40MP sensor, to give a high-quality 10MP image. Combined with a built-in artificial intelligence processor that can automatically identify and adjust for 20 different kinds of subjects, the idea is to help smartphone photographers get high-quality results across a wide range of subjects with the minimum of fuss or user-intervention.
Following on from last year’s Mate 10 Pro, Huawei is taking a clear side-swipe at the likes of Apple and Samsung, especially by introducing a telephoto lens which competes well with the iPhone X and Samsung S9 Plus.
Other interesting photographic features include a built-in colour temperature sensor to give more accurate auto white balance, which also works in concert with the two-tone LED flash
With an attractive glass and metal body design, the device is built around a 6.1in, 2240 x 1080 pixel, 18.7:9 screen that covers almost the entire front surface, aside from an iPhone X-like ‘notch’ at the top for the front camera, and a small bezel at the base that houses the slim fingerprint sensor. It’s water and dust resistant to the IP76 specification, with the only external connector being a USB-C port. The 7.8mm thick body manages to squeeze in a 4000mAh battery, while AI-based streamlining of power consumption promises 2 days or more of power, even with extensive use.
Also announced today are the Huawei P20 and the P20 Lite – both of which feature a double camera setup, rather than the triple camera of the P20 Pro.
