New Huawei phones go on sale

Chinese technology giant Huawei started selling two models of its high-end Pura 70 smartphone series yesterday that many analysts expect to contain an advanced China-made chip like its Mate 60 handset.

The series is priced starting from 5,499 yuan (HK$5,950).

The Pura series has advanced cameras and is known for its sleek design, while the Mate series emphasizes performance and business features.

The launch of Mate 60 series last year was celebrated in China as a triumph over US sanctions on the firm, as the handsets contain an advanced China-made chip that is considered only a few generations behind cutting-edge chips used by Western tech giants like Apple and Google in terms of computing power.

Eric Xu, Huawei's acting chairman, told a forum in Shenzhen that the company also plans to roll out a Mate 70 smartphone this year.

The Pro and Ultra versions of the Pura 70 were available yesterday, while the Plus and base versions will begin sales on April 22. The phones were out of stock at Huawei's online store just a minute after sales started, and hundreds of the brand's fans lined up at Huawei stores in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Reuters