Huawei has launched its new flagship P8 smartphone into the East and southern African markets. The product will be available from the end of July, from all the operators. The device will retail in South Africa for R7 999.00, or $680.00 in other African markets. South African consumers will also have access to the repair service Huawei Select, with other markets to roll out going forward.
Jaco van Zyl, director product marketing in east and southern Africa at Huawei, says one of the P8’s competitive advantages is its ability to connect more efficiently to mobile networks.
“The best device is of little use if it cannot hold a signal,” he says. “The P8 has been developed to hold and amplify even the weakest connection.
“As a result of this, he says, the device experiences 50% fewer dropped calls and a 20% increase in call connection.”
The new P8 is also an intelligent WiFi device, Van Zyl adds. “It will identify the most optimal available WiFi network from the user’s list and according to location to stay connected at all times.
“It has been developed to identify and lock in a signal quickly, and is three times faster at making mobile network connections that similar devices.”
In terms of usability, Van Zyl says the P8 boasts excellent CPU speed and battery life, with a power-efficient Kirin 930 Octa-Core 64-bit chipset outstripping competitors by 20%.
Yudi Rambaran, director: product marketing SA at Huawei, says a lot of thought went into the design of the P8. “The mandate was to design devices that inspire creativity, and the P8 stands in a category of its own. It can be summarised as a collaboration between technology and design. We wanted to make a statement.”
With a 5,2-inch display and 1 080-pixel resolution, Rambaran says the new smartphone meets the African consumers’ demand for larger formats. In addition the full metal unibody makes the device both slimmer and stronger, while bevelled edges give better grip.
The new P8 will be available at launch in two colours, mystic champagne and titanium grey, with other colours planned over the product’s lifecycle.
Users can also customise the device to their own style with a variety of themes as well as a range of covers.
Critical to the success of any smartphone today is the camera, and Rambaran points out that this should offer more than just megapixels.
The Huawei P8 includes the first four-colour RGB sensor that enhances brightness in high-contrast environment and less colour for low-light pictures.
The camera helps the user to produce balanced shots, offers multi-frame dynamic exposure and includes a light-painting function as well as an instant preview function.
Charlene Munilall, GM: consumer business group SA at Huawei, says that during 2014 Huawei become the continent’s premier mobile challenger with 75-million units shipped.
Huawei achieved 254% growth in EMEA and was the second-largest device manufacturer on the continent in terms of ships.
“We have made our presence known and have our sights set on the number one position,” she says.
“We know that African consumers have unique needs and we give the devices tailored for those needs.”