Huawei launches the Mate 80 series, which includes the new Kirin 9030 chip and an extremely bright display.

      Huawei unveiled its annual flagship Mate 80 series on Tuesday during a product launch event in Shenzhen. The lineup comprises the Mate 80, Mate 80 Pro, Mate 80 Pro Max, and Mate 80 RS. The Mate 80 Pro Max, featuring the Kirin 9030 Pro chipset, operates on HarmonyOS 6.0 and boasts an ultra-bright display with a peak brightness of 8,000 nits.

      According to Huawei, the Mate 80 Pro Max can endure up to 14 days when utilizing a special outdoor adventure mode. This mode conserves battery by turning off data networks and non-essential functions while maintaining essential features like satellite positioning, maps, and communication, thereby extending battery life for extreme conditions.

      Why it’s significant: As Huawei's annual flagship, the Mate 80 series strives to present new innovations with notable features, including its self-developed Kirin chipset, an ultra-bright display, advanced imaging capabilities, and a 14-day outdoor battery option.

      Details: The Huawei Mate 80 series begins at RMB 4,699 ($652), while the high-end Mate 80 RS Master Edition, equipped with 20GB RAM and 1TB of storage, is priced at RMB 12,999 ($1805). The company reports that pre-orders for the series have exceeded two million units.

      Different Kirin chipsets are utilized across the Mate 80 lineup. The standard Mate 80 is operated by the Kirin 9020 chip. The Mate 80 Pro comes in two versions, with the lower-memory variant using the Kirin 9030 and the higher-tier version featuring the Kirin 9030 Pro. Both the Mate 80 Pro Max and the premium Mate 80 RS edition are powered by the Kirin 9030 Pro chipset.

      The Mate 80 series introduces the second generation of the Red Maple True Color Imaging System, which employs an RGBW filter array and AI color engine to achieve precise color reproduction. Under complex lighting conditions, it reduces color deviation by 60% compared to the previous generation.

      The Pro Max model showcases a triple camera configuration consisting of a 50 MP main sensor, a 48 MP 4X periscope telephoto, and a 50 MP 6.2X periscope telephoto. It also includes real-time light tracking. A newly introduced motion capture mode enables users to capture creative images featuring a sharp subject against a blurred background, enhanced by a 10-step physical variable aperture (F1.0–F16) for professional photography.

      The Pro and higher models come with a 6,000 mAh silicon-carbon anode battery, with tests indicating that under heavy usage, the battery lasts over 14 hours. They support 120 W wired fast charging and 50 W wireless charging, reaching full charge in just 28 minutes. Additionally, reverse wireless charging is available for emergency charging of earbuds, watches, and other devices.

      Context: In the third quarter of 2025, smartphone shipments in China totaled 68.4 million units, reflecting a year-on-year decline of 0.6% as per IDC’s quarterly market tracking report, indicating continued weak demand. Vivo topped the Q3 market with a 17.3% share, followed by Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo.

      In Q3, Vivo shipped 11.8 million units for a 17.3% market share, despite a 7.8% decline year-on-year. Huawei secured the third position with 10.4 million units and a 15.2% share, a drop of 1.0% from the previous year.

      Jessie Wu is a tech reporter based in Shanghai, covering consumer electronics, semiconductors, and the gaming industry for TechNode. You can reach her via e-mail: [email protected].