Number three smartphone maker Huawei Technologies of China is shifting its focus upmarket with its new flagship phone, pictured.
Huawei plans to unveil the new high-end smartphone, dubbed the P9, to take on Apple and Samsung with new features that promises better colour and sharper contrasts.
Engineers from Shenzhen-based Huawei and German optics company Leica Camera have been working together for nearly a year to develop the phone’s camera. It’s part of a push by Huawei to transform from a maker of cheap phones to one that can compete with the industry’s top players.
The push appears to be already paying off. Huawei’s smartphone shipments rose 44 percent to more than 100 million units last year, according to researcher IDC. Huawei said its consumer-gadget revenue jumped 73 percent last year to US$20 billion.
