On the 26th of August 2021, Huawei lifted the curtain on its latest phones destined for the South African market, the Huawei Nova Y60 and the Huawei Nova 8. For the unveiling, the Chinese technology giant opted for style and elegance making use of the Galleria in Sandton.
So, for all you nomophobes, here is the breakdown:
The Huawei Nova Y60
Quick Specs:
- 6.6-inch IPS LCD (1600 x 720)
- Mediatek MT6765
- 4GB RAM / 64GB storage
- 13 MP Main Camera / 5 MP Ultra-Wide Angle Camera / 2 MP Depth Camera
- HD Video
- 5000mAh battery
Quick Q’s:
- Launch date: 1 September 2021
- Pricing: Pre-order R3,099 / Regular R3,599
- Extras included: The pre-order offer comes bundled with BT headphones & BT wireless speaker (valued at R1,298)
- Colour options: Black, Crush Green
- Extra extra’s: 2-year warranty, one-time free screen guard service, free unboxing service in-store, plus 50-day screen insurance.
The Huawei Nova 8
Quick Specs:
- 6.57-inch 90Hz OLED display (2340 x 1080)
- HUAWEI Kirin 820E / Mali G57
- 8GB RAM / 128GB storage
- 64 MP Main Camera / 8 MP Ultra-Wide Angle Camera / 2 MP Depth Camera / 2 MP Macro Camera
- 4K Video
- 3800mAh battery
Quick Q’s:
- Launch date: 1 September 2021
- Pricing: Pre-order R10,099 / Regular R11,099
- Extras included: The pre-order offer comes bundled with a pair of Huawei FreeBuds 4i and a Watch GT (valued at R5,698). *The first 100 customers will also grab a special limited edition pair of Bathu sneakers designed after the Nova 8.
- Colour options: Blush Gold
- Extra extra’s: 2-year warranty, one-time free screen guard service, free unboxing service in-store, plus 50-day screen insurance.
Thoughts…
The smartphone market is a fickle beast. We the consumers are spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing a phone. Do you want a crazy camera? the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a monster 108MP main sensor… Do you want a blazing fast chip? The apple iPhone 12/12 Pro A14 Bionic processor is crushing it…
Do you want a phone you can roll around your wrist like a smartphone? No? Well, Lenovo thought someone might with the Lenovo C plus… and if you have ever wished that your smartphone could double as a cigarette case…. Fly over to China and get a Xiang yan wang 3838
So where does this leave the Huawei Nova Y60 and its brawnier sibling, the Huawei Nova 8? What advantages do they have in entering the South African market?
In one word…
Pricing.
These are midrange phones aiming at those who want the most bang for their buck.
Do you want great features and a fantastic price? The Huawei Nova Y60 might be for you. Do you want to up your game with TikTok, photography, and vlogging without breaking the bank? The Huawei Nova 8 could be the phone for you.
Huawei is doubling down on its strategy of capturing the lion’s share of tech savvy, budget-conscious consumers. The phones are aggressively priced (especially the pre-orders) and packed with extras.
All in all, I reckon this is a win for Huawei and for the consumer.
