Huawei launches Pura 80 series and challenges Apple in China’s premium phone market

Less than a month after introducing its first harmoniously powered laptop, Huawei has returned with the launch of its famous smartphone. On Wednesday, the Chinese tech giant introduced a new Pura 80 lineup. This is the headlines posted by the Pura 80 Pro+.

This is Huawei’s latest swing at a full comeback. With Apple under pressure in China, local competitors like Xiaomi and Honor and competitors like closures, all new mobile phone launches feel like a litmus test of the brand’s sustainability.

The Pura 80 series, announced in the live stream, includes four models: the base Pura 80, Pura 80 Pro, Pura 80 Pro+ and flagship ultra models. Prices start at 6,499 yuan (approximately $905) for the pro, and rise to 9,999 yuan for the ultra. Most models appeared on shelves on June 14th, and the Ultra landed on June 26th, and the base model arrived in July.

However, the spotlight was clearly on the Pura 80 Pro+ – Huawei’s most ambitious release of the year.

Pura 80 Pro+: bigger screen, other AI, and satellite support

Pro+ is built for users who want to make the most of everything. Comes with a 6.8 inch OLED screen, FHD+ resolution (2848 x 1276), 120Hz refresh rate, and 3000 nit peak brightness. The phone weighs 291 grams and is wrapped in a sophisticated glass-like finish, available in four colors: glaze red, green, white and black.

When running on Harmonyos 5.1, the phone leaps heavily towards AI. It features a new Celia assistant with real-time visual interaction, AI-driven privacy features such as AI-powered character themes called “Dancing Master Hanhan,” anti-peep, noise-reducing calls, and ongoing app or web page translation.

It also supports one-tap sharing, live app windows, air gesture file transfers, and more unusually satellite communications. Users can send and receive two-way messages and make satellite calls without reorganizing with satellites. Thanks to the smart satellite switching feature, images can also be sent via satellite.

Camera with AI and many zooms

The Pura 80 Pro+ also boasts a serious camera setup. It is equipped with a 50MP primary sensor with optical image stabilization, a 48MP macro telephoto lens, a 40MP ultra awid lens, and a 1.5MP multispectral lens for increased color accuracy. The rear camera supports 4x optical zoom and up to 100x digital zoom, while the front gets an ultra-width selfie shooter of 13MP.

The new AI tools include glare removal, ultra-transparent panoramic shots and one-tap gesture capture to give users more creative flexibility on the fly.

Battery and performance

The Pro+ comes with 16GB of RAM and comes with 512GB or 1TB of storage. Under the hood is a 5700mAh battery that supports 100W wired charging, 80W wireless charging, and reverse charging (both wired and wireless). It also has IP68 and IP69 ratings and provides solid water and dust resistance.

Market response and development

The buzz was there right away. On Weibo, Huawei dominated the Trending topic, with three of the top 10 related to the Pura 80 series. While many users praised the design and camera features, some have pushed back on pricing – 7,999 yuan (approximately $1,110) for the 512GB Pro+ model and 8,999 yuan ($1,250) for the 1TB version.

“Weibo, China’s microblog platform, three of the top 10 trending topics on Wednesday were related to Pura 80. User responses were mixed, with many people praising the camera’s capabilities and sophisticated design, but complaining that the price was too high and not worth the cost,” Reuters reported.

For Huawei, the Pura 80 is more than just selling mobile phones. It shows that the company is not complete. And seeing Apple’s grip loose in China, this launch may give Huawei momentum chasing.

The launch is also a sign that Huawei has not stepped back. Each new product is closely monitored for clues as to how far the company has come since being rejected by critical US technology. Additionally, with Apple under pressure in China, interests are higher than ever.