High-end Android tablets might be getting rarer and rarer, but they're not dead yet: Huawei is expanding its range with the three new "premium" devices under MediaPad M5 moniker: an 8.4-inch model, and two 10.8-inch models, the second of which is a Pro model that comes with a stylus and detachable keyboard.
All three tablets have a "2.5D" curved glass design, which brings them in line with modern smartphone design. Huawei says this a world first; other tablets on the market have flat screens that don't taper off.
Key specifications for the MediaPad M5 family include a 2560x1600 display, a Kirin 960 eight-core processor, between 32GB and 128GB of expandable storage, 4GB of RAM, quad-speakers co-engineered with Harman Kardon, 4G connectivity. The 8.4-inch MediaPad M5 has a 5,100mAh battery, while the 10.8-inch devices have a 7,500mAh battery.
The tablets all run Huawei's customised take on Android Oreo, EMUI. The MediaPad M5 Pro has further software modifications that fire up a "PC mode" when docked with its included keyboard.
In terms of the pricing, the 8.4-inch MediaPad will start at €349, the 10.8-inch at €399, and the Pro at €499. All models will be available in Wi-Fi only or 4G configurations. 4G models will retail for €50 extra.
The MediaPad M5 family will be available from Autumn in the Asia Pacific region, but Australia specific pricing and availability has yet to be confirmed.
Huawei Australia contributed funding toward WhistleOut's trip to Barcelona for Mobile World Congress 2018.
Alex Choros
