Huawei might not be the most well-known smartphone brand in the UK, but if the Chinese manufacturer has their say, this won’t be for long. Launching the Ascend D Quad and the Ascend D1 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Huawei announced its intention to get a piece of the UK smartphone market.
The Ascend D quad is powered by, as the name suggests, a quad-core processor. It also runs with Android 4.0 ice Cream sandwich has a 1.5GHz processor which Huawei says is one of the fastest on the market. Looks-wise the device has a 4.5 inch 720p HD touchscreen and features Dolby Surround Sound. On the back is an 8 megapixel camera and on the front a 1.3 megapixel version. The device is capable of 1080p full HD video capture. It is just 8.9mm thick.
Undoubtedly the Ascend D’s quad core will invite comparisons with HTC’s One X. Both have remarkably similar spec. What it is likely to come down to is the battery. The One X has a 1800 mAh battery, the Huawei 2500 mAh meaning it will last longer. Both use different chips to power their processors so they’ll need to be tested side by side to see how fast they really work.
Huawei also launched the Ascend D1. Also running Android 4.0 (ICS) the D1 has a dual-core processor so it’s basically a cheaper version of the Quad. It has a 4.5 inch touchscreen with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. It has the same textured style back as the Samsung Galaxy S2 with an 8 megapixel camera and 1080p video recording. The camera includes face detection and white balance as well as different scene modes to automatically set exposure and shutter speed for different light conditions and locations.
Alongside the operating system is Hispace, a Huawei app that helps manage all your other apps which includes a list of ones you have downloaded and suggestions for other popular apps you might want to try. It’s a more accessible in compared to the Android Market, which can be difficult to filter. Apps can be stored in folders making them easier to link and access. A Tools folder is already set up on the device which includes an FM radio, the calculator and the app installer.
Each mobile manufacturer likes to use its own interface and Huawei is no exception. There are animations that accompany any movement around the screen and icons appear in 3D.
Quad core is not going to be for everyone so it makes sense that Huawei has announced itself on the UK phone market with a choice; a super-fast flagship device and a more affordable version which is almost identical but with a dual-core. Offering choice means growing the potential market and range is all the rage this year in terms of smartphones. Both devices have good spec and will be at the higher end of the market making it clear where Huawei are pitching themselves. It’s an ambitious introduction which they will be hoping pays off.
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