Huawei launches P20 and P20 Pro flagship smartphones with Dolby Atmos

The P20 has a 5.8in display and a resolution of 2240 x 1080 pixels. It uses the same chipset as Huawei's Mate 10 Pro, while the phone also gets 4GB RAM, 128GB of built-in storage, a 3340mAh battery and a dual camera designed by Leica, which features a 12MP lens and a 20MP monochrome lens.

But the jewel in Huawei’s crown is the 6.1in P20 Pro, which has an OLED FullView display and features three cameras: a 40MP primary camera, an 8MP telephoto addition, and a third monochrome sensor designed to add depth and detail in low light conditions.

Its aperture can go as low as f/1.8, which should also help taking photos in the dark. On the front is a 24MP selfie camera.

Huawei is definitely focusing on photos, as its also boasting “4D predictive focus”, which apparently makes it easier to take photos of moving images and provides “intelligent suggestions to frame group shots and landscapes”.

On the inside, the Pro features the same Kirin 970 chip as the normal P20, but has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage. There’s a 4000mAh battery in there too.

The P20 Pro isn't bezel-less - on the bottom is a fingerprint button to unlock the phone. It's an interesting choice in the current smartphone market, and we're keen to see how it works in practice.

Both the P20 and P20 Pro also include support for Dolby Atmos and content encoded using Dolby's AC-4 audio codec.

Huawei has also launched a couple of new audio accessories: Huawei’s FreeBuds and the Huawei ANC earphone (a pair of noise-cancelling in-ears). It's fair to say Huawei isn't really known for its headphones, so it'll be interesting to hear how they stack up against the class-leaders.

Available in April, the new Huawei P20 and P20 phones come in graphite black, midnight blue, pink gold, and twilight (purple). Pricing is yet to be announced.

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Andy Madden

Andy is Deputy Editor of What Hi-Fi? and a consumer electronics journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing news, reviews and features. Over the years he's also contributed to a number of other outlets, including The Sunday Times, the BBC, Stuff, and BA High Life Magazine. Premium wireless earbuds are his passion but he's also keen on car tech and in-car audio systems and can often be found cruising the countryside testing the latest set-ups. In his spare time Andy is a keen golfer and gamer.