Huawei has officially launched the (not so) new Huawei P30 Pro New Edition in Europe. It is the same old P30 Pro launched in March 2019 but comes with a couple of minor changes. Following the US trade ban against Huawei, Google can no longer certify the new Huawei smartphones.
However, Huawei will continue to sell its already-certified models with Google apps. The Mate 30 series and P40 series were launched with Huawei Mobile Services (HMS), Huawei’s alternative to Google Mobile Services (GMS). Without Google apps, it’s hard for the company to sell smartphones outside of China.
Huawei P30 Pro New Edition comes with EMUI 10.1
While the original P30 Pro came with Android 9.0 Pie based EMUI 9.1, the P30 Pro New Edition runs on the latest Android 10 based EMUI 10.1. Unlike the Huawei P40 series, the EMUI 10.1 on the Huawei P30 Pro New Edition comes pre-installed with Google apps. Along with the Black and Aurora color options, the New Edition will also be available in Silver Frost.
The Huawei P30 Pro New Edition comes packed with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It is currently available for pre-order in Germany for EUR 749. Huawei is also offering FreeBuds 3 TWS earphones and a mini speaker for free with the device. All pre-order customers can also purchase the Huawei Watch GT2 for just EUR 99.
Prior to the P30 Pro New Edition launch, Huawei also relaunched the P30 Lite as P30 Lite New Edition. Apart from the latest EMUI update and a new color option, there are no other changes made to the device. It comes with a 6.47-inch AMOLED display with Full HD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels) resolution and HDR support.
What’s new with the P30 Pro New Edition?
Since using the latest Kirin 990 chipset requires Google’s certification, Huawei sticks with the same old Kirin 980 SoC coupled with a 10-core Mali-G76 GPU. The Huawei P30 Pro New Edition also offers expandable storage option but only using its proprietary NM card. It is also IP68 certified for water and dust resistance.
The rear camera setup includes a 40MP primary sensor with f/1.6 aperture and OIS. There is also a 20MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, an 8MP telephoto sensor with OIS, and a ToF Depth sensor. On the front is a 32MP selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture. It is backed by a 4200mAh battery and supports 40W Huawei SuperCharge fast charging technology.
It also includes 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging support. Connectivity options include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C port. There is no 5G support even on this New Edition. Considering the Huawei P30 Pro packs a powerful camera setup and decent display, it can still win over the value flagships from other Chinese brands. However, the older chipset and lack of 5G might be an issue.