At its IFA 2016 press conference, Huawei unveiled the Nova and Nova Plus, and the metal-clad 8.4-inch MediaPad M3 tablet. The Nova and Nova Plus are the latest entrants in Huawei’s mid-range series, which sits one tier below the flagship P9. The phones are aimed at a younger audience, offering an 8MP front camera and a 12MP rear shooter (16MP on the Nova Plus) with large 1.25 μm pixel size.
In broad strokes, you’re looking at phones with metal designs (with the Nova looking like a smaller version of the Nexus 6P), chamfered sides and decent specs. The Nova features a 5-inch Full HD display, 14nm Snapdragon 625 SoC, 3GB of RAM, 32GB storage with microSD slot, 12MP camera, 8MP front shooter, USB-C, and a 3025mAh battery. The Nova Plus comes with a larger 5.5-inch Full HD display, a 16MP rear shooter, and larger 3340mAh battery. Both phones have fingerprint sensors at the back, and run EMUI 4.1 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box.
The MediaPad M3 tablet offers an 8.4-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600, HiSilicon Kirin 950 SoC (four Cortex A72 cores at 2.3GHz, four Cortex A53 at 1.8GHz), 8MP front and rear cameras, 4GB of RAM and storage variations of 32GB or 64GB, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.1, and a 5100mAh battery. The tablet also runs EMUI 4.1.
The Nova will be available in over 50 countries starting October for €399 ($444), with availability kicking off in Germany, Austria, France and Spain before hitting other markets. Similarly, the Nova Plus will debut in October in Spain, Italy and Canada for €429 ($477) before making its way to other global markets.
As for the , the tablet will be available starting September 26 in China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, France, New Zealand, Spain, Germany, Philippines, Thailand, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom, Japan, and Russia. It will be sold in Wi-Fi and LTE variants. Here’s the breakdown:
- €349 4GB RAM + 32GB storage (Wi-Fi only)
- €399 4GB RAM + 64GB storage (Wi-Fi only)
- €399 4GB RAM + 32GB storage (LTE)
- €449 4GB RAM + 64GB storage (LTE)
Check out our hands-on coverage for more on Huawei’s latest:
- Huawei Nova and Nova Plus preview
- Huawei MediaPad M3 review
Press release follows:
Huawei Debuts New nova Series of Smartphones at IFA 2016
Thousands of great shots on a single charge
Berlin – Sept. 1, 2016 – At IFA 2016, Huawei Consumer Business Group debuted the Huawei nova and
the Huawei nova plus, the first smartphones in the new series designed to meet the needs of today’s
most dynamic consumers. The new nova series features a stunning multi-curve design, camera advances
for more vivid photography and performance updates for enhanced usability. Every feature of the
Huawei nova and Huawei nova plus is designed to support consumers’ fast-paced lifestyles and express
their unique personalities, whether that means capturing the perfect selfie or taking thousands of shots
on a single charge. Huawei also announced new color options for the awarding-winning Huawei P9
smartphone.
Available beginning in October, the €399 Huawei nova and €429 Huawei nova plus in Prestige Gold,
Mystic Silver and Titanium Grey, are just the beginning of an exciting new series designed to defy
expectations. The series delivers brilliant usability features combined with stunning looks and powerful
performance, which continues Huawei’s commitment to innovation and design.
“Huawei recognizes that dynamic consumers demand a device that keeps up with their fast-paced
lifestyle,” said Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group. “Designed to bring new
experiences to life with its incredible performance, stylish design and advanced camera features, the
Huawei nova and Huawei nova plus devices are the perfect fit for a generation that lives their life on a
smartphone.”
At an exclusive launch event held at the Velodrom in Berlin, world-renowned fashion blogger Xenia
joined Yu on stage and praised the nova’s high-end design features and fantastic camera, calling the
device a “must-have” for her fast-paced, camera-ready lifestyle.
With its Huawei nova series, Huawei continues to defy expectations following its successful smartphone
launches earlier this year, including the powerful Mate 8 and Huawei P9, which redefined the standard
in smartphone photography.
Ergonomic Design
The Huawei nova smartphone’s curved surfaces and 5-inch screen connect seamlessly to create an
ergonomic, compact design that fits perfectly in users’ hands, enabling single-handed functionality. As
beautiful to look at as it is to use, the Huawei nova draws inspirations from curves found in modern
architecture with its curved metallic back polished by an advanced sandblasting process, hairline
finishing and signature oblong composite panel stretching across the top of the phone. The subtle
contours and smooth curves reflect light to emit multiple shades of brilliant colors and sheens.
Outstanding Photography Experience
Today’s smartphone users demand a device that empowers them to capture and share their favorite
moments, anytime and anywhere. With its powerful 8 megapixel front-facing camera, the Huawei nova
enables users to take and share better selfies in any lighting condition. Additional features include the
proprietary Beauty Makeup 2.0 and Beautiful Skin 3.0 applications, which apply cosmetic effects and
skin smoothing filters to create more flattering images.
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The Huawei nova’s 12 megapixel rear camera with 1.25 μm larger pixel sports an enhanced wideaperture
lens and imaging sensor allowing it to capture photos in low-light conditions, while the Huawei
nova plus features an outstanding 16 megapixel rear camera, enabling it to capture more light for
sharper, clear and richly refined photos in any environment. In addition, the Huawei nova series
supports fast autofocus for amazing accuracy, helping consumers capture wonderful moments in their
life.
Real-world Performance
The Huawei nova series is powered by the Snapdragon 625 processor, which uses advanced 14nm
technology to increase performance and reduce power consumption. The Huawei nova’s 3020 mAh
battery with Smart Power 4.0 can power longer sessions for users to easily navigate between different
apps. With a next-generation 3D fingerprint sensor, the Huawei nova supports faster and more accurate
360-degree unlocking for improved security, convenience and single-handed selfies. The Huawei nova
plus’s 3340 mAh battery delivers an even longer battery life, allowing users to capture thousands of
shots on a single charge.
The Huawei nova also features DTS Headphone:XTM optimized audio for authentic 3D, home-theater
quality surround sound.
New Fashion-forward Huawei P9 Colors
Following its global launch earlier this year, Huawei released new fashion-forward colors for the Huawei
P9 dual-camera smartphone co-engineered with Leica AG. Inspired by the dramatic, bold colors found in
1960’s pop art, the P9 is available in two new vibrant finishes, Red and Blue. Beginning at €549, these
new colors represent Huawei’s focus on creating on-trend products for consumers who value style and
design.
Availability
The Huawei nova, with 32GB ROM and 3GB RAM, will be available in October in over 50 countries and
regions, including Germany, Austria, France and Spain before being offered in additional markets. The
Huawei nova plus, with 32GB ROM and 3GB RAM, will initially be available in October in over 50 markets,
including Spain, Italy and Canada, before being offered in additional markets. In China, the Huawei nova
series can be purchased online at JD.com and Tmall.com, in addition to the Huawei store.