It has everything to enchant lovers of beautiful images. The P60 Pro, the latest high-end smartphone from the Chinese brand Huawei, which was marketed this Monday, May 22 at 1,199 euros and which we tested before its release, is a little gem that surpasses the competition in this field. It gets the highest ever score of 156 from DxOMark testing laboratory, the world benchmark in this regard.
Logic: Its triple-lens module (a 48MP (megapixel) primary sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle and a 48MP telephoto lens) is the world’s first equipped with a mechanical and progressive diaphragm opening system, adjustable on demand. Like “real” cameras. What plays with the amount of light entering the sensor and blurring effects on the background details. As well as stunning, the night scenes are devilishly accurate, with unprecedented balance and precision, no matter how weak the light source.
A piece of jewelry worth more than 1,000 euros
However, this beautiful image hides a major flaw, and the model has little chance of commercial success. A few hundred or even thousands of fans of Huawei or high-performance photophones will pay more than 1,000 euros to buy the P60 Pro.
The fallout from 2019 is a trade embargo that blocks the supply of hardware or software from some new technology companies, accused of acting as a bridge to Chinese espionage by US officials. This is why this P60 Pro, like all Huawei models for almost five years, lacks 5G chips, state-of-the-art processors and, above all, Google services and applications.
If it works well with the Android system (provided by Google), access the Play Store to download the app, or use Google Maps, Gmail or an application to enable or identify a user using Google services (like most banking applications, for example, or RATP).
As with the “Gsuite” software, there are many tricks to circumvent these restrictions, which currently allow you to monkey around with major Google applications, but there is no guarantee that they will work in a week or a month.
Despite Huawei’s efforts to set up an alternative app store, the effect is there: sales have fallen in recent years and the Chinese company, which entered the top 3 in France, is ahead of the American Apple and behind the unbeatable Samsung in 2018. For example, has now been pushed down the rankings.
Why does Huawei continue to fail commercially with marketing devices with such low sales potential? “US sanctions are a big problem for us, it needs to be recognized and it will be very difficult to do well as long as they are still in place,” admits Roger Liu, general manager of the French company Huawei. However, we are staying in France because the company continues to perform well, despite weak sales. »
The brand focuses on business customers
The Chinese brand not only manufactures smartphones but also develops its operations in telecommunications, communication networks and electrical appliances. Its customers are other companies such as Carrefour or SNCF, but also the public sector.
“There are still some individuals who fall because the brand’s smartphones are great products, but Huawei is betting on these customers first. Commercial In France, a former employee of the company confirms. She makes a simple calculation between the pros and cons of staying. For now, the balance will continue because, at the same time, in China, most of the profits made in the world of smartphones and electric cars make it possible to generate enormous profits. The technique is to occupy the ground in the hope of an easy return once the drawback of the embargo, which depends on diplomatic and trade relations between China and the US, is lifted. »
