Honor 20: Great in the middle of the storm

Honor 20 comes to the market at a time when the company Huawei is experiencing extremely difficult times. Indeed, Google complied with the US government order and terminated cooperation with Huawei and withheld licenses for the Android operating system. This is definitely the most dramatic moment in the history of Android, because it is Huawei that would be the global by the end of the year became a leading phone manufacturer – that won't happen without a comprehensive Android system. And now the question arises, what is the future of this company.

But despite this, the company stepped in front of the world public yesterday in London and presented a new series of their sub-brand Honor – smartphones Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro. The latter bet on exceptional photography and a large battery. Exactly what is most important to users right now when deciding on a new smartphone.

You will be glad that this time Honor 20 Pro it has not grown excessively and remains a decent size 6,26 inches. Thus, compared to its "concern" brother, the Huawei P30 Pro is much smaller and more compact. The screen is completely flat, which means it will be easier to use protect against scratches – otherwise it's the screen LCD IPS with full HD resolution (1080x2340 pixels) and pixel density 412ppi: relatively cheap according to the specifications, but by no means a bad screen, which hides a hole for the front-facing camera in the upper right corner. There is no fingerprint sensor under the screen, instead it is hidden on the edge of the smartphone. It's a phone by design no special surprises and very similar to the products that Huawei has been selling very well lately. Due to its size, compared to the Huawei P30 Pro, it is somewhat more convenient and in a way more youthful. Which is the purpose of the Honor brand, which primarily appeals to young people. So in terms of design, I dare to say that it is among the prettiest, if not prettier than the Huawei P30 Pro - the proportions are better, the size is perfect, and the colors chosen by Honor this time are a little less flashy. Which is commendable. Their phones used to look like candy bars - with too many "Chinese" color touches.

Inside there are familiar goodies - a great processor Kirin 980, which is accompanied by 6 GB of working memory, a space for data storage, which is basically large 128 GB and big 4000 mAh battery, which will ensure excellent autonomy and will last the whole day without any problems. The latter je characteristic of both brands, both Honor and Huawei.

But the essence of the user experience these days is precisely the smartphone photo, and this is where the Honor brand wants to offer the most. The main camera system consists of 4 lenses. The main camera – the most special one – is supported by a sensor Sony IMX586, who can do just that 48MP and also includes advanced modes AI Ultra Clarity and AIS Super Night, which enable excellent photography in low light conditions. This camera also has the widest aperture of any smartphone and is quite F1.4. With more light passing through the lens thanks to the aperture F1.4, users can take surprisingly good photos even in low light conditions. The latter joins Ultra Wide wide-angle camera, who can 16MP and a telephoto camera with 8MP. A special feature of the camera system is the macro system 2MP, which allows users to take close-up shots. The cameras also have OIS optical stabilization, and the excellence of the lenses can also be seen in the video properties, where the series 20 captures video also in 4K. These four cameras add up to an impressive rating DxOMark 111, which is the second best rating among all smartphones. It's only better Huawei P30 Pro.

The Honor 20 Pro is an extremely interesting phone that comes at a time when uncertainty about the future of Huawei is high. With a price 499 euros for the normal model and 599 euros for the Pro version, the price is no longer in the class of affordable smartphones, but much higher.

At the presentation of the Honor 20 in London, Huawei representatives did not explain the circumstances surrounding the complications with Google and other American suppliers. But there was power in the air feeling a lot of tension and ambiguity. All interviews were cancelled, and test journalist samples of the phones were also withheld, which is not usual for the company. The very silence of those responsible indicates that the situation is not easy and the future is quite uncertain.

Honor 20 still has everything interesting Google apps, but the question remains whether he will keep them in the future. In the center of the storm, Honor 20 left a good impression and we hope not the last!

Gallery: Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro