In This Article:
* New smartphones to ship in Europe next month
* No access to Google's app services
* Huawei to offer its own app suite instead
* Device to run on generic version of Android
* Huawei counts on design, hardware, features to attract buyers (Adds briefing with top salesman Richard Yu)
By Douglas Busvine
MUNICH, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Huawei unveiled its new smartphones to challenge Apple's iPhone 11 on Thursday, talking up slick design and best-in-class features while playing down concerns about the lack of access to Google's popular apps.
At a glitzy launch in the German city of Munich, the Chinese firm said its new Mate 30 Pro and Mate 30 devices were more compact, their cameras more sensitive, and wraparound screens more vivid than those of the latest Apple iPhone.
Connectivity was 50% faster than market leader Samsung's fifth-generation (5G) phones, chief salesman Richard Yu said.
It was Huawei's first launch of an all-new smartphone since U.S. President Donald Trump hit the world's No. 2 player in the market with a U.S. export ban in May.
Washington has effectively barred U.S. firms from supplying Huawei, alleging it is a national security risk as its equipment could be used by Beijing to spy - something the Shenzhen-based company has repeatedly denied.
The result is the Mate 30 lacks access to a licensed version of U.S. Google's Android operating system, as well as mobile services that include its Play Store and popular apps like Gmail, Youtube or Maps - all victims of the ban.
Huawei pressed ahead with the launch regardless, betting that the Mate 30's design and hardware would still win fans.
"This is the best-performing smartphone in the world," Yu told a news briefing.
"Yes, we have some limitations on Google Mobile Services. But we have a huge advantage with the phone itself."
The Mate 30 Pro's three-camera array is able to bring images to life in low light. Its on-board video camera has a fine definition of 40 megapixels and, in super-slow motion, a speed of 7,680 frames per second that is several times that of its nearest rival.
The 6.53-inch flex OLED screen wraps further round the body than earlier models, making it possible to fit a display larger than the one on the iPhone 11 Pro Max, onto a smaller device.
The Mate 30 will ship to Europe next month, and will be available in China from next week, said Yu. It will be priced from 799 euros ($884), the top-end Mate 30 Pro from 1,099 euros and the Mate 30 Pro 5G from 1,199 euros.
Huawei also has a luxury Porsche Design model for 2,095 euros.