Huawei Launches 5G Satellite Phone, Mate 60 Pro

Huawei has unveiled its flagship Huawei Mate 60 Pro in China. The phone brings several premium features like satellite connectivity for phone calls and messaging, an advanced triple camera setup, fast wired and wireless charging, and a sleek design.

Huawei Mate 60 Pro Specifications

• Display: 6.82-inch OLED, 1224 x 2664 pixels, 120Hz
• Chipset: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
• RAM & Storage: 12GB RAM, 512GB storage
• Rear Camera: 50MP main + 48MP periscope telephoto + 12MP ultrawide
• Front Camera: 13MP
• Battery: 5000mAh, 88W fast charging, 50W wireless charging
• Software: HarmonyOS 3.0
• Connectivity: 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, Satellite connectivity
• Others: In-display fingerprint sensor, Face unlock, IP68 rated

Pricing and Availability

The Huawei Mate 60 Pro is priced at CNY 6,999 for the 12GB+512GB variant. It comes in Black and Silver colors. Sales have kicked off in China with no word yet on international availability. The phone takes on the likes of the iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung S23 Ultra in the ultra-premium category.

How to use Huawei Mate 60 Pro to Make a Satellite Phone Call?

1. Search for China’s “Tiantong” satellite.
2. Connect
3. Make a Phone Call or Message

Price of 5G Satellite Phone Call

The rental fee is 10 RMB (~ रु. 200) per month and the phone call fee is 9 RMB per minute (~ रु. 180).

Huawei Mate 60 Pro Price in Nepal (if Launched)

Display and Design

The Mate 60 Pro features a curved 6.82-inch OLED display with FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and animations. The panel has a high 1440Hz PWM dimming frequency and supports up to 1.07 billion colors. 

With a thickness of just 8.1mm and a weight of 225g, the phone is quite sleek. The glass back panel is scratch and fingerprint-resistant. The Mate 60 Pro retains IP68 dust and water resistance.

Performance and Software

The Mate 60 Pro is powered by the 5nm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform paired with 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB UFS 3.1 storage. It runs Huawei’s proprietary HarmonyOS 3.0 based on a microkernel architecture.

Camera

For photography, there is a triple camera array comprising a 50MP main, 48MP periscope telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom and OIS, and a 12MP ultrawide sensor. The 13MP front camera is housed in the pill-shaped center punch-hole notch.

Battery and Connectivity

The Mate 60 Pro packs a 5000mAh battery with support for blazing-fast 88W wired charging. It can also wirelessly charge at up to 50W and reverse charge other devices at 20W.

Connectivity options include dual SIM 5G, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, and USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C port. The phone also has Huawei’s space-based connectivity that enables messaging even without terrestrial networks in remote areas.

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Verdict

The Huawei Mate 60 Pro brings some solid upgrades over its predecessor making it a compelling flagship smartphone. The new space-based phone and messaging functionality enabled by satellite connectivity can be invaluable for users in remote areas.

Huawei still faces challenges expanding its smartphone business beyond China due to a lack of Google Mobile Services. But for customers in China seeking a premium flagship, the Mate 60 Pro checks all the right boxes. It takes on the iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung S23 Ultra with its compelling mix of design, display, performance, battery life, and photography prowess.

The Huawei Mate 60 Pro is shaping up to be among the best Android flagship phones in China. It indicates Huawei can still innovate despite restrictions imposed on its business. But its success outside China remains an open-ended question.