Huawei has its work cut out for it with the P30 this year.
A lot of phones were released in 2018, but among all of them, one that stuck out as something special was the Huawei P20 Pro. Although not perfect, the P20 Pro is widely considered as having one of the very best camera packages we’ve ever seen on any smartphone. Add that together with a stunning design, fast performance, and greatly improved software, and it’s easy to see why we were so enthralled with the phone.
We’re now in 2019, and as such, it’s time to look ahead to see what Huawei will do to improve upon last year. It’s going to be a challenge, but if Huawei plays its cards right, the P30 Pro could very easily be one of the best phones of the year.
Without further ado, here’s everything we know!
The latest P30 + P30 Pro news
January 4, 2019 — First Huawei P30 renders reveal a waterdrop notch and three rear cameras
2019’s barely begun, but even so, we already have our first look at the Huawei P30. Thanks to a collaboration between @OnLeaks and 91 Mobiles, a new batch of device renders and a 360-degree video gives us a clear look at Huawei’s upcoming handset.
Similar to last year, the P30 shown here is expected to be a more affordable, less powerful version of the flagship P30 Pro. Even so, it still looks like one heck of a device.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnpjLQNoSaM?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
There are three big upgrades with the P30 over the P20, the first of which is its display. The notch at the top has been shrunk down to a waterdrop style and takes up far less space than the one we had last year. Furthermore, there’s no longer a front-facing fingerprint sensor — allowing the chin to shrink considerably.
With no rear or side-mounted fingerprint sensor in sight, this means that the P30 more than likely has an in-display sensor.
Around back, you’ll see a row of three rear cameras. That’s one extra camera compared to the dual-lens setup on the P20 and should allow for much more variety with the shots you take.
Also pictured in these renders is a USB-C charging port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and Huawei’s stunning Emerald Green color with what appears to be a texture on the back similar to what we saw with the Huawei Mate 20. As for the dimensions, those come in at 149.1 x 71.4 x 7.5mm.
All the big details
What will the Huawei P30 look like?
Based on what we’ve seen so far, the Huawei P30 will look similar to the P20 with some welcome upgrades.
There’s still a multi-colored glass back, but you’ll now find three rear cameras instead of just two. Around front, there’s a large 6-inch display with a small waterdrop notch and a much smaller chin compared to its predecessor.
The volume rocker and power button are both on the right, the bottom frame is home to a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack, and with no fingerprint sensor in sight, we’re assuming that Huawei’s embedded it underneath the display.
We’ve still yet to see any pictures of the more powerful P30 Pro, but with the P30’s design already leaking in this fashion, it shouldn’t be too long before that changes.
What specs will it have?
While no specs for the Huawei P30 have been confirmed, here’s what we’re currently expecting according to the rumor mill.
| Operating System | Android 9 Pie EMUI 9.0 |
| Display | 6-inch OLED 2340 x 1080 |
| Processor | Kirin 980 |
| Rear Camera 1 | 40MP |
| Rear Camera 2 | 20MP |
| Rear Camera 3 | 5MP |
| RAM | 6GB |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh |
The P30 Pro will likely have similar specs, with a few upgrades here and there. As we learn more, we’ll update the spec list accordingly.
How much will the phone cost?
In the UK, the Huawei P20 has a retail price of £600 while the P20 Pro goes for £800.
No pricing information for the P30 or P30 Pro has been made available yet, but we can likely expect them to cost around £50 to £100 more than last year’s phones.
When will it be released?
The Huawei P20 series was announced on March 27, 2018, and then released on April 6.
With the P30, we could be faced with a similar release window, or it could be moved up a bit sooner seeing as how Huawei is confirmed to attened Mobile World Congress in February and could make an announcement as soon as then.
