Even though a Huawei executive had explicitly stated that we weren’t going to see the latest from the Mate series, we got to see something new, a new smartphone series from Huawei.
Unlike what we’d heard in the run-up to today’s launch at IFA 2016 in Berlin, the two new smartphones from Huawei, Nova and Nova Plus, are not targeted specifically at women (which is why I gave the rumour a wide berth as that alone sounded ridiculous, to say the least). They’re for everybody. Huawei is just trying out something to add to its other efforts with the G series and its high-flying Honor sub-brand.
A statement from the company plays up the device’s ergonomics, performance and high-quality photography, a necessity since they are targeted at a younger audience just like the budget devices the company unveiled in Kenya today.
Here are their specifications:
| Huawei Nova | Huawei Nova Plus | |
| Size and weight | 141.2 x 69.1 x 7.1mm, 146g | 151.8 x 75.7 x 7.3 mm, 160g |
| Display | 5-inch Full HD (443ppi) | 5.5inch Full HD (401ppi) |
| Processor | Snapdragon 625 | Snapdragon 650 |
| Memory | 3GB RAM; 32GB internal storage (can be expanded up to 128GB via microSD) | Same |
| Camera | 8MP front; 12MP back | 8MP front; 16MP back with OIS |
| Operating System | Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with Emotion UI 4.1 | Same |
| Battery | 3,020mAh | 3,3400mAh |
| Network | 3G, 4G LTE | Same |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/, Bluetooth 4.1, USB Type-C | Same |
| Colour | Titanium Grey, Mystic Silver, Prestige Gold | Same |
| Other | Fingerprint scanner | Same |
The Huawei Nova costs an equivalent of Kshs 45,000 while the Nova Plus costs an equivalent of Kshs 48,000, not exactly what you’d call your typical mid-range pricing locally but not surprising since we’ve seen Samsung price its Galaxy A series devices in that range.
Both devices are available immediately in China through online stores while everyone else will have to wait for October when they hit the global market.
