Huawei reveals impressive new Mate 9 phone

Huawei's new Mate 9 (Supplied)
Huawei's new Mate 9 (Supplied)

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei put the heat on its competitors today unveiling the new Mate 9.

It could be perfect timing for Huawei who'll be hoping to capitalise on Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 fire woes.

Huawei's CEO Richard Yu says the company started developing the phone with the simple question: "How can we improve every element of the smartphone experience?"

"We know that for today's business users, a fast and functional smartphone is just the beginning. Consumers also want a gorgeous design and intuitive features,"

Going by today's announcement in Munich, Germany, the phablet stacks up well and could scoop up Samsung's lost sales.

The Mate 9 has a 5.9 inch, 1080p screen and a unibody metal frame and a dual-lens camera developed in partnership with the German camera maker Leica.

The two cameras are arranged vertically on the back of the phablet. A flash and IR sensor are on either side capturing 20 and 12 megapixel images respectively. The first shoots in monochrome, the latter in colour.

The dual camera first appeared on Huawei's P9 phone earlier this year.

Below the camera is a fingerprint sensor.  The 3.5mm headphone jack stays firmly put and there's a USB Type-C charging port on the bottom.

Like Samsung's Note 7, Huawei's new phone has supercharging battery technology.  Ten minutes is enough power to watch two full movies.

It also has a special five-gate protection system offering "real-time voltage, current and temperature monitoring" to safeguard battery and charging conditions and overheating.

Major improvements have also been made to software, designed to reduce the number of taps needed to reach the phone's features.

The Huawei Mate 9 is available in Black, Space Gray, Moonlight Silver, Champagne Gold, Mocha Brown and Ceramic White.

The company hasn't yet confirmed how much it will cost for New Zealand customers or when it will go on sale but it has said we will be among the first countries to get it.

Mate 9 customers will also get a free screen replacement if it's accidentally broken within twelve months of purchase.

Huawei has also launched the Porsche Design Huawei Mate 9 but availability will be restricted to Europe in the short-term.

Newshub.