You can download iOS 16 now, and like every new major software update for the iPhone, there are some features and settings you’ll absolutely love and some you might not. If you got a new iPhone 14, this will also apply to you.
In iOS 16, the addition of a Search button at the bottom of the home screen, just above the dock, caused a stir. Many people are not happy with the new home screen setup.
While the search feature on iOS is useful for quickly finding text messages, files, settings, websites, and photos, the new button is placed in a place where it’s easy to accidentally tap, especially when you’re scrolling through the various Home screen pages. When you inadvertently click the new search button, the search function will appear full screen. Then you have to swipe it out to get back to your home screen – which is annoying.
Fortunately, there is an easy workaround to get rid of the new search button on the home screen, check it out below!
How to get rid of the new search button on iOS 16
On an iPhone running iOS 16, launch the Settings app, go to the Home screen and turn off the “Show on Home Screen” button under Search. Instead of the Search button on your home screen, you’ll now see dots that represent your various home screen pages. If you press it, nothing happens.
If you want to access the search function after removing the home button, you can access it the traditional way: swipe down from anywhere on the screen.
Apple’s iOS 16 update has officially rolled out to all eligible iPhones, starting with the iPhone 8 and later, and it comes with some neat features that users will love. The iOS 16 update brings major design changes to the lock screen as well as changes to the Messages app.
Check out some quick tips on how to get the most out of the iOS 16 update on your device!
There are two ways to customize the lock screen. You can go to Settings > Wallpapers > and tap Add New Wallpaper. You will now see a lot of wallpaper and lock screen options. You’ll see Favorites, the ability to choose a photo from your gallery as your lock screen, and options to choose emoji-based wallpapers, weather wallpapers. Now, if you choose one, you’ll see options for further customization. You can click and change the font or color of the time widget, or even the date.
Another way to customize it is to long-press on the lock screen itself, and customization options will appear. There is also a plus sign next to it. You can customize your existing lock screen, or just tap the plus sign and an entire menu will appear where you can change, tweak, and edit it. You can also add more widgets to the lock screen from here.
This is a cool feature on iOS 16. You can now remove the background from your photo, but just make sure the photo is one with the subject in focus and the background clear.
You can now simply click on the relevant object in the photo and the background will be removed. Once Apple’s software comes into play, the copy/share options appear. Just hit copy and open any other app. Just click and use it when the paste option appears. Pictures without backgrounds will be pasted into the chat. This option also lets you share images directly to apps like Gmail or Messages.
Apple iOS 16: Edit, Unsend Messages
In iOS 16, you can now edit or unsend an iMessage within 15 minutes of it being sent. You just long-press a message and you’ll see options to unsend or edit it. Remember that for the unsent option to work, the other party needs to be on iOS 16. If not, they can still see the message.
Apple’s iOS 16 will add a dedicated medication feature to the Health app. When you open the Health app, you’ll see the option to add your medication now. Apples will let you add medications based on dosage, name, and even the shape and form of the medication and how long you take it. You can also set alarms or reminders to take your medication.
Apple iOS 16: Find WiFi passwords easily
Apple’s iOS 16 finally fixes this, and you can now see passwords for existing WiFi connections. Just go to Settings > WiFi and tap on a specific WiFi connection. The password should be visible, although it will be hidden in the dots. Click this and you can see the password. Apple will verify your identity with Face ID or Touch ID based on what you activated before revealing your passcode.
Apple has introduced Quick Notes on macOS and iPadOS, and now the feature is coming to iOS 16 as well. You can go to the control center and add a quick note option. Now, when you swipe down and tap the quick note symbol, a note will open for you to quickly write anything.
watchOS 9 is officially released, which means it’s time to update your Apple Watch if you’re ready to take advantage of all of its new features, tools, and settings. But with all the upgrades on your wrist, you might want to offer advice on what to try first.
In watchOS 9, the Apple Watch has improved sleep tracking, including sleep stage data, a range of fresh watch faces, an improved workout interface, AFib history, the Medicines app in iOS 16, slim notification banners, and more.
All devices that support watchOS 9 are also getting Apple Watch Low Power Mode – a battery life feature not only reserved for the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra. Some watchOS 9 updates are exclusive to specific Apple Watch devices, but no matter which device you own, installing the latest software version makes the best smartwatch even better.
Here are five features you should try first when you get watchOS 9 up and running, so check them out!
There are now more Apple Watch faces to choose from than ever before, with four new faces added in watchOS 9: Metropolitan, Lunar, Astronomy, and Playtime.
Some existing watch faces also have new customization options. As always, you can create a library of many watch faces, but now your iPhone’s Focus presets can also include designated watch faces. This means that if you enable a specific Focus state on your iPhone, your Apple Watch watch face will automatically change to reflect your preference for a given Focus.
2. Set up the medicine app
Actually supports using your iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time. While the new medication app might not sound exciting, it’s incredibly useful for anyone taking any medication and can help you build a more complete digital health profile.
In the Health app on your iPhone, you can add medications and specify what time of day you take them. Not only will the health app check for possible reactions to your medications, but it will also send you reminders when you’re taking them. These reminders will appear on your Apple Watch, prompting you to record your intake quickly and discreetly from your wrist.
The Apple Watch Fitness app has been considerably improved in watchOS 9, so a great way to try out the new features is to get active. With several new running metrics, there are even more ways to monitor your runs and progress in watchOS 9—vertical swing, stride length, and touchdown data let you further explore your performance. Custom workouts and recognition of regular routes can also guide you toward your running goals.
Another new metric for Apple Watch workout tracking is heart rate zones. Monitoring your heart rate zones can help you understand your intensity level. You can view your heart rate zones in real time in the Workout app. You can now also conveniently view the progress of your Apple Watch ring without leaving the app.
Although this was a later announcement, Apple Watch Low Power Mode is one of the most exciting updates to watchOS 9. Apple Watch Series 8 battery life is now up from 18 hours to 36 hours, according to Apple estimates. The company doesn’t specify estimates for older Apple Watch devices, but if you turn on Low Power Mode in Control Center, you should see an improvement in Apple Watch stamina.
Low Power Mode disables power-hungry features such as the always-on display, cellular and Wi-Fi connections, automatic workout tracking, and continuous heart rate monitoring. It might not be a feature you want to use all the time, but if you still have a long day or even an overnight trip, see if Low Power Mode can keep your Apple Watch alive.
In watchOS 9, the sleep app has been upgraded to include sleep stage data. Previously, the Apple Watch could only tell you when you were in bed and when you fell asleep through breathing data. You can now see an overview of sleep cycles.
Using the information gathered by the accelerometer and heart rate monitor, the Apple Watch should now be able to detect what stage of sleep you’re in throughout the night. You will be able to see how much time you spend in each stage and when you wake up. You can view long-term sleep trends in the Health app on your iPhone.
During Apple’s WWDC keynote, the iPhone unveiled iOS 16, which introduced a redesigned lock screen, improved privacy and family sharing, and a host of new features for other existing apps. The update will be available to anyone with an iPhone 8 and later on September 12.
After iOS 15’s focus on productivity in 2021, this seems to be a continuation of this trend, while it focuses more on personalization thanks to the new lock screen feature. With that in mind, we compared the two versions to see what benefits iOS 16 will bring you.
After restarting your iPhone in iOS 16, you’ll see a different lock screen. Inspired by the way you customize your Apple Watch face, you can swipe between different lock screens with colors, fonts, and widgets.
Up to four widgets can be added, and developers can also make custom widgets for their apps once iOS 16 launches.
Compared to iOS 15, the customization is unparalleled. For years, you could just set the wallpaper and decide if the image moved as you moved your iPhone.
Animated wallpapers were introduced with the iPhone 6S in 2015, but you had to press the screen for it to animate. However, the lock screen in iOS 16 goes a step further. For example, there’s “Live Activity” that tracks sports, while notifications and Now Playing screens sit at the bottom to make those more accessible to your thumb.
iOS 15 and iOS 16: Mail
Apple‘s Mail app has been in the background for years, with third-party apps filling in the gaps. You could say that’s why users often set their third-party mail app as the default app in iOS.
However, iOS 16 is finally starting to catch up with other apps, including Schedule Send, Undo Send, and more. These Mail improvements also apply to macOS Ventura and iPadOS 16, so no user will feel left out this year once the update is released to everyone.
When you compare it to the ubiquitous Mail app in iOS 15, you realize how many cool Mail features are on the desktop. With iOS 16, it’s finally easier to manage your mail.
iOS 15 vs. iOS 16: Messages
It’s another app Apple has focused on this year, with the ability to edit or undo messages up to 15 minutes after they’ve been sent, as well as a host of collaboration features.
Since its debut in iOS 5, iMessage has allowed Apple users to message each other, similar to WhatsApp. But while Messages has been updated in recent years, such as group chats and pinned conversations, users want more of what’s already available in other messaging apps.
This is where messaging and collaboration are improved. For example, you can invite someone to work on a project in Pages or Numbers, and any activity will show up in Messages. The ability to recover deleted messages up to 30 days after they were deleted in iOS 16 is another big update this year.
This is a series of improvements to Photos in iOS 16, the ability to lock albums with a passcode, duplicate photo detection, turn off featured content, and more.
There’s also a new iCloud Photos feature called iCloud Photo Library. This brings the ability to share the library with your family, photos can be taken with the camera app and will be saved directly in this folder.
iOS 16 is a small update compared to iOS 15, but it’s a series of small improvements that make a big difference, especially since these are also included in macOS Ventura and iPadOS 16.
Apple has finally pulled back the curtain on the Apple Watch 8, and if you’re wondering how it compares to Samsung’s latest wearable, this is the article for you!
Announced at the company’s Far Out event, the Apple Watch 8 is Apple’s latest mainline wearable, sitting comfortably between the more budget-friendly Apple Watch SE 2 and the premium Apple Watch Ultra. In the wearable market, however, the Apple Watch 8’s closest competitor is undoubtedly the Galaxy Watch 5.
Samsung’s latest wearables are still fairly new, and while direct comparisons are tricky as the watch doesn’t work on iPhones and the Apple Watch doesn’t work on Android phones, the overall comparison is still poignant, look at these two Let’s take a look at how the biggest smartwatches are moving the industry forward.
They approach temperature sensors in different ways
Apple and Samsung clearly have a similar mindset this year, as both the Apple Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 5 list temperature sensors as one of their big additions this year. Unfortunately, Samsung didn’t have a primary use case for the temperature sensor at launch, and promised developers would find a way to use it in their own apps.
Apple, on the other hand, showed how to use its temperature sensor to improve the accuracy of menstrual tracking, and the Apple Watch 8 was able to display the estimated start date of a person’s ovulation cycle. It can even spot deviations in your baseline temperature overnight, letting you know early signs of any illness.
The battery gap is closing
In our Galaxy Watch 5 review, we got nearly 48 hours of use on a single charge, which is huge for a modern Wear OS smartwatch. This statistic makes the previous Apple Watch‘s 18-hour battery life seem outdated, and the Apple Watch 8 does have the same standard battery life, but it has a new feature to extend its lifespan.
Apple introduced a low-power mode that users can use for up to 36 hours by turning off the always-on display and automatic workout tracking. While it’s not enough to completely beat the Galaxy Watch 5, it’s definitely a step in the right direction for taking Apple to the next level.
Apple was the first company to consistently bring fall detection to the wearables market with the Watch 4, and the feature has since been replicated on a handful of competing devices, including the Galaxy Watch 5. With the Apple Watch 8, however, Apple introduced a brand new safety feature that could kick off another trend in the smartwatch market: collision detection.
As the name suggests, Collision Detection can identify when the wearer is in a car accident and automatically contact emergency services, as well as emergency contacts listed on the phone. For people living in rural areas, this feature can be a great source of peace of mind.
Whether you’re considering an upgrade or just want to see the biggest differences between the two phones, an iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 13 comparison should come in handy.
At first glance, the iPhone 14 looks almost identical to the iPhone 13, but has a number of notable upgrades, including a larger and brighter main camera sensor, the A15 Bionic chipset, security features, and a more powerful Apple version. This iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 13 guide will help you decide which phone is better for your needs.
IPHONE 14 & IPHONE 13: Models
Apple made a huge overhaul to its iPhone lineup this year by eliminating the iPhone Mini. In their place are the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus. The Plus is very similar to the iPhone 14, with the only notable differences being screen size and battery.
IPHONE 14 & IPHONE 13: DESIGN AND DISPLAY
The iPhone 14 looks very similar to the iPhone 13. Both are made of glass and aluminum with a glossy back. The iPhone 14 has a ceramic shield on the front glass for added durability.
The iPhone 13 changes its camera module layout from vertically stacked lenses to diagonally arranged lenses on the back. The iPhone 14 sticks to this approach. On the front, it uses the slightly smaller notch seen on the iPhone 13 instead of the dynamic island cutout now used by the iPhone 14 Pro models.
Apple has brought some big changes to the iPhone 14. This includes improving your phone’s cooling performance and the new Emergency SOS satellite feature, which lets you get help even without a cellular connection. Apple also did away with the physical SIM tray on the US iPhone 14 models, which means the iPhone 14 is an eSIM-only phone. So if you want a SIM card tray, the iPhone 13 might be your better choice.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 have the same 6.1-inch OLED display with support for HDR, 800 nits of brightness and 1,2000 nits of peak brightness, and HDR content. The only difference to note is that you can go bigger with the iPhone 14 Plus if you want, which gives you 6.7 inches more space.
IPHONE 14 vs IPHONE 13: PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY LIFE
Apple has stuck with the high-end A15 Bionic that powered last year’s iPhone lineup, even though it’s not quite the same silicone used in the iPhone 13. Instead, it’s the same chip found in the iPhone 13 Pro, so Apple promises an 18 percent improvement in any iPhone 14-to-iPhone 13 comparison.
As for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, the A15 is still a pretty powerful chip, bringing the same 6-core CPU 16-core Neural Engine, but the iPhone 14 now has a 5-core GPU for improved gaming performance. The A15 Bionic also supports computational photography features like Photonic Engine for better low-light performance.
The iPhone 14 Plus comes with a bigger battery and bumps those numbers up to 26, 20 and 100 hours. That could put the iPhone 14 Plus on our list of the best phones for battery life, though we’ll have to do a battery test on the new phone to confirm.
Some of the biggest upgrades that come with the iPhone 14 involve its cameras. Like its predecessors, the new iPhone 14 models feature a pair of rear-facing 12MP cameras—one is the main camera and the other is an ultra-wide-angle lens. But this time around, the iPhone 14 has a bigger primary sensor with bigger pixels (1.9 microns, faster f/1.5 aperture and sensor-shift image stabilization).
All of this should add up to better photos and videos, with better detail and less noise. Night mode should also be improved, with exposures now twice as fast. The Photon Engine feature helps improve low-light performance for all cameras.
The front-facing camera on the iPhone 14 has also changed. This new TrueDepth camera has an ƒ/1.9 aperture, which should help in low-light conditions. By comparison, the iPhone 13 uses an f/2.2 aperture. The front-facing iPhone camera on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus features autofocus for the first time.
On the video side, Apple has introduced a new motion mode designed to add better stabilization to videos shot on the iPhone 14. We’ve now seen the first real-world action mode video, and it looks pretty impressive.
As rumored before launch, the small-screen iPhone has been phased out in favor of a new 6.7-inch non-Pro model. For the first time since Apple’s standard and Pro deviations, iPhone users have the option to enjoy a larger-screen iPhone.
While that’s exciting, it’s not the most compelling aspect of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, and there’s a lot to get excited about this year. Apple has revamped the camera system with a new rear-facing 12Mp camera with a larger sensor and larger 1.9-micron pixels, which the company claims improves low-light performance by 49 percent. There’s also an upgraded 12Mp front-facing camera with key upgrades, including improved low-light performance and autofocus for the first time.
The iPhone 14 also features satellite connectivity, allowing users to connect to satellites without bulky antennas in areas without cellular reception. The only real surprise is the inclusion of the same A15 Bionic chipset as last year’s Pro model, rather than an upgraded processor like in previous years.
Here’s everything you need to know about the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.
When will the iPhone 14 be released?
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be available for pre-order through the Apple Store on Friday, September 9, 2022. The iPhone 14 will be released a week later on September 16.
What’s New in iPhone 14
So, what exactly is new in the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus?
As rumored prior to the announcement, Apple has decided to ditch the small-screen iPhone mini form factor in favor of the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus. It essentially brings the big-screen form factor to the regular iPhone lineup.
Aside from the 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display, the new iPhone 14 Plus benefits from longer battery life, which Apple claims has the longest battery life of any iPhone to date — including this year’s Pro models. It sits alongside the 6.1-inch iPhone 14, featuring the same high-end Super Retina XDR display tech as last year. Both models are capped at 60Hz, though.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus offer an improved rear camera setup – although the real hardware improvements are exclusive to the main 12Mp sensor. The 12Mp sensor has a larger sensor and larger 1.9-micron pixels, which Apple claims improves low-light performance by 49 percent, as well as sensor-shift OIS technology and a faster aperture for better capturing fast-moving photos. The front-facing camera has also been boosted, with a new 12Mp TrueDepth camera offering an improved f/1.9 aperture for low-light shots, but the bigger improvement for many will be the introduction of autofocus.
Video is another area where the iPhone 14 lineup has improved; Apple has introduced a new Action Mode that uses full-sensor overscan and roll correction technology to deliver a gimbal-level stabilization experience ideal for running and Record video while riding.
Satellite connectivity is a new addition to the iPhone 14 series, and it was one of the first smartphones on the market to offer the technology. While smartphones are typically connected to cell towers several miles away, the new line of smartphones can connect to satellites moving hundreds of miles from Earth at speeds of 15,000 miles per hour.
The iPhone 14 has custom hardware built into the antenna, as well as a custom UI co-designed by Apple with first responders to deliver emergency SOS via satellite in areas that lack coverage. You’ll have to point your iPhone at an area in the sky to stay connected, but it’s a great addition for those off the beaten track.
The only real surprise of the night was the confirmation that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will once again feature the A15 Bionic chipset, with the caveat that it’s the Pro model and not the improved A15 Bionic used in the standard model. It probably won’t matter to most people considering it’s still faster than most of its Android rivals, but it’s certainly a change from what we know about iPhone upgrades.
Other improvements to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus include the same collision detection technology as the Apple Watch Series 8, the ability to detect when you’re in a serious car accident and contact emergency services, and the removal of the SIM card tray in the US.
Apple announced the new AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds at its Far Out September event, priced at $249/£249/AU$399. Pre-orders begin on September 9, with a shipping date of September 23.
The new AirPods Pro feature the same “protruding stick” design as the previous version, and white remains the only color option. A key upgrade is the capacitive touch controls on the outer surface of the earbuds, which allow you to adjust volume by swiping your finger up or down — something the original feature didn’t have.
According to Apple, the new H2 chip allows for advanced computational audio in the new AirPods Pro, with the benefit of canceling twice the amount of noise even when you turn on transparency mode, such as heavy machinery.
Like the AirPods 3 and AirPods Max, the new AirPods Pro also support spatial audio. A new Personalized Spatial Audio option is also supported in iOS 16, which uses the TrueDepth camera feature on iPhone to create a unique listener profile based on the shape of your head and ears, so sound movement is more persuasive.
Lightning wired charging, Qi, and Apple MagSafe wireless charging are options for the new AirPods Pro, but you can use the charger that came with your Apple Watch for the first time. For the new model, battery life has been upgraded to 6 hours on a single charge and 30 hours of total listening time with the charging case, up from 4.5 hours and 24 hours, respectively, of the original.
There are few new features among the new models listed in the 5 upgrades released for the AirPods Pro 2, but one of them is an improved case with built-in speakers for pairing feedback and bass power and charge status. It’s also used for precise finding, the case’s speaker beeps when using the iOS Find My feature, and there’s support for UWB directional positioning with your iPhone so you can point directly at your lost AirPods.
Lastly, Apple has also added new low-distortion speakers and custom amplifiers, so we think the overall audio quality will be improved over the original.
There’s no mention of lossless audio, but Apple does say the H2 chip supports high-bandwidth connections, so we don’t know what that means yet. We’ve written before about how Apple is adding lossless sound to the AirPods via Bluetooth, so there may be more to come with these buds in the future.
Huawei has announced three new Mate 50 phones, all with the same variable aperture camera and the latest high-end Qualcomm processors — but no 5G support.
Two years after the release of the Mate 40 phone and a year after the initial release of the P50 Pro, the company is ready to launch a flagship with the latest specs.
The Huawei Mate 50, Mate 50 Pro and Mate 50 Pro RS Porsche Designs hit the Chinese market first, and the company hasn’t said if they’ll go further – but we hope they do. Here’s everything you need to know about Huawei‘s Mate 50 series, including the inside scoop on its satellite communications capabilities – a claimed world first.
When will Huawei Mate 50 be released?
The Mate 50 phones are available for pre-order from September 6, 2022. They will go on general sale on September 28.
What are the specifications and features of the Huawei Mate 50 phone?
All three Huawei Mate 50 phones are powered by Qualcomm’s latest high-end mobile processor, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
Good to see, as rumor has it that these phones will stick to the Snapdragon 888 seen on the Huawei P50 Pro. As with all Huawei phones these days, the problem with the Mate 50 phones is that they are not 5G compatible.
The ongoing U.S. trade ban affecting the company means it cannot properly support new web standards. But at least these phones should perform as well as the other best Android phones this year.
These phones won’t run Google services or access the Google Play Store, like the Huawei Mate 40 Pro and the latest Huawei phones. Instead, they’ll run Huawei’s Harmony OS 3.0 software. You can still download apps from the Huawei AppGallery, but many Western favorites are still missing.
The regular Mate 50 has a 6.7-inch OLED display that can run a 90Hz refresh rate, while the Mate 50 Pro bumps that up to a 6.74-inch 120Hz OLED panel with 10-bit color depth.
Most interestingly, the Mate 50 and Mate 50 Pro share the same main camera. It’s a 50Mp wide lens with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and a variable aperture between f/1.4 and f/4.0. One of the only phones with a variable aperture is the Samsung Galaxy S9 – oddly enough, future Samsung phones don’t keep it.
Hopefully it will become more mainstream, and Huawei‘s inclusion of it on the Mate 50 is a good sign. It could be the next big leap in smartphone photography, offering more manual controls similar to DSLRs based on hardware rather than software. Huawei says the Pro mode in the camera app has ten adjustable physical apertures.
While both phones feature the new technology for the main lens, the Mate 50 Pro has a higher-spec 64Mp telephoto lens with OIS and 3.5x optical zoom – although the 12Mp telephoto lens on the regular Mate 50 also has a higher-spec 64Mp telephoto lens. With OIS and 5x optical zoom. The Pro can crack the 100x digital zoom, though, while the Mate 50 is still stuck at an impressive 50x. Both phones share the same 13Mp ultra-wide-angle lens and appear to use the same 13Mp front-facing camera as well.
On the pricier Porsche Design Mate 50 RS, it’s really just a Mate 50 Pro with a more premium design, with one camera difference. It has a 48Mp periscope camera that can also take macro photos.
The Mate 50 comes with 128, 256 or 512GB of storage, while the Mate 50 Pro comes with 256 or 512GB. The ever-high-end Porsche model only offers 512GB. All of these are expandable via Huawei‘s proprietary Nano Memory (NM) card format. They also all feature IP68 dust and water resistance, 66W wired and 50W wireless charging, and stereo speakers.
Another way the Mate 50 series pushes the boundaries of technology is by supporting satellite communications. Using China’s Beidou Satellite Messaging system, the Mate 50, Mate 50 Pro and Mate 50 RS Porsche Designs will be able to send messages via satellite rather than terrestrial mobile networks – but crucially, they can only send, not receive.
Currently, the military and emergency services mainly use satellite communications on private networks in places that cannot be reached by standard mobile networks. Phones haven’t yet embraced the technology, perhaps because bypassing legacy mobile carriers is a dangerous business decision — historically, they haven’t been the right company.
Huawei is bringing its latest high-end hardware to Europe as the updated MateBook X Pro laptop and MatePad Pro tablet make the leap from China to Western markets.
Both initially launched in China in late July, so it’s a relatively quick turnaround for international debuts, just in time to make the most of this week’s IFA trade show in Berlin.
The MateBook X Pro is a premium ultrabook with a 12th Gen Intel i7 chip – i7-1260P to be precise. It’s productivity-focused, so you won’t get a discrete GPU, but the integrated Iris Xe graphics should suffice for the basics.
The trade-off makes sense when you consider the portability of the X Pro 2022 – despite the 14.2-inch display being quite roomy, the entire laptop weighs just 1.26kg, and it’s also thin at 15.6mm. On the downside, Huawei decided not to try to squeeze in a full-size USB-A port, so it’s limited to USB-C and Thunderbolt 4.
Part of the reason for the light weight is the use of a new magnesium alloy to make the laptop, although it doesn’t feel metallic thanks to what Huawei calls a “micro-arc oxidation coating,” in fact the laptop has an almost muted sheen of blue and white accents. Faces – A heavier gray model is also available in the company’s standard aluminum design.
An interesting touch is the inclusion of a tactile trackpad with some useful shortcuts: slide your finger down on either side to control display brightness or volume, press the upper right corner to close the current window, and tap with your knuckle to take a screenshot .
All these features don’t come cheap, though: the X Pro will be available on September 3rd for £1,799/€2,199, which gets you 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM.
As for the MatePad Pros, there are two models: one with an 11-inch display and one with a 12.6-inch display.
Both run HarmonyOS 3.0, the latest version of the company’s post-Android operating system, which adds new options like grouping and stacking widgets for extra flexibility in how and where you access shortcuts and controls sex.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 powers both tablets, while you can also expect 120Hz OLED displays, slim designs, and a large 40W battery with fast charging — not to mention support for the Huawei M Pencil stylus.
The MatePad Pro 11 costs 649 euros and the larger 12.6-inch model costs 799 euros, with UK pricing yet to be confirmed.
In addition to high-end hardware, Huawei also launched the second launch of the Watch D in Europe. First revealed in May, it’s now CE-marked in Europe for its ECG and blood pressure monitoring — with an inflatable strap that offers a mini, mobile version of the same blood pressure check you might get done at your doctor. It will go on sale in October for £399/€399.
Huawei also launched two phones at IFA, the mid-range Nova 10 and Nova 10 Pro, which stand out with their high-resolution 60Mp selfie cameras.
