Huawei might not be able to catch a break right now, but it seems like it's business as usual for the embattled company's local arm. Huawei today announced the local launch of the P30 Lite, a midrange version of its latest flagship that will retail for $499 through JB Hi-Fi. It will be hitting stores from today. Customers who get in early will get a bonus pair of Huawei FreeBud wire-free headphones, while stocks last.
Multiple cameras are part of the P30 series' DNA, and there are no exceptions here. The P30 Lite has three lens on the back, including a 24MP primary lens, an 8MP ultra-wide angle lens, and 2MP depth lens. We’re definitely not expecting the same kind of photo quality as you get on the far pricier P30 Pro, but it will certainly be interesting to see how the P30 Lite performs.
Key specifications for the P30 Lite include a 6.15-inch 1080p display, a Kirin 710 eight-core processor, 128GB of storage, 4GB of RAM, the aforementioned three rear-facing cameras, and a 3,340mAh battery. You can grab it in a choice of Peacock Blue or Midnight Black.
Of course, given the ongoing dispute between Huawei and the US government, Huawei is effectively cut off from Android - the operating system that powers its smartphones. We don't know the full consequences of this decision yet, but it has major implications for anyone considering picking up any Huawei device.
Existing Huawei handsets - including the P30 Lite, which was launched internationally before the US executive order came into effect - will still be able to run Google apps and services. Huawei will still be able to deliver security updates to it, albeit at a slower pace. However, if the ban stays in effect, Huawei smartphones are unlikely to see a major Android operating system update again. You can read more about the Huawei Android ban here.
While Huawei has made promises about continuing to support its existing phones, buying the P30 Lite this very moment feels a little unwise. You won't lose any out-of-the-box functionality, but there's little certainty or specifics around exactly how the Android ban will affect the phone going forward.
We really need Huawei and Google to provide more clarity on exactly what the future of Android on Huawei devices will look like, so customers have all the facts before making a purchase decision. Especially given that Huawei is still launching new phones.
Alex Choros
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