Huawei unveils iPhone X challenger

But officials in charge of the NSA, FBI and CIA, have all recommended US citizens don’t use its devices

Huawei Technologies Co introduced its challenger to Apple Inc’s iPhone X and Samsung Electronics Co’s Galaxy S9, amid the company’s fallout with US retailers, wireless carriers and government officials.

The 5.8-inch P20 smartphone features an edge-toedge display, and a 6.1-inch Pro model also has three camera lenses on the back: one for colour, one for black-andwhite shots and one designed for close-ups. The screens of both versions feature a “notch” at the top similar to that seen on the iPhone X but avoided in Samsung’s latest designs.

Huawei sold the third most smartphones globally last year with 11 per cent of the market, trailing Samsung’s 22 per cent and Apple’s 15 per cent, according to data from IDC. Huawei is also the only one of the top three players to consistently gain market share yearover-year since 2014, according to IDC.

The basic P20 will be priced at €649 (Dh2,960) while the Pro model will run €899, Huawei said at the Paris launch event. The Galaxy S9 sells for around €739 and €869 for the deluxe S9+ version, according to Samsung’s site.

Tough sell

But no matter the P20’s competitive potential, officials in charge of the NSA, FBI and CIA, have all recommended that US citizens don’t use Huawei devices. AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc — the top two US phone carriers — have also decided to not sell the company’s products following government concern. As most phones in the US are bought via carriers, the move puts China’s top phone maker at an innate disadvantage.

Still, Huawei has been able to sell phones in the US through direct sales channels such as Amazon. But that too may be short lived: Best Buy Co, the largest electronics chain in the US, has severed ties with the company.