This phone was so good it was banned.

Summary

The Huawei Mate 30 Pro, released five years ago, was a groundbreaking phone with a unique wraparound display, powerful camera system, and impressive battery life. However, due to the US ban preventing Google Play Services, users faced significant limitations with no access to Google apps. Despite these challenges, its camera quality, particularly in low light, and innovative portrait mode still stand out today. Huawei's innovative push was ahead of its time, but the lack of software support hindered its success in the Western market. The Mate 30 Pro remains a symbol of what could have been, had circumstances been different.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Huawei Mate 30 Pro was a groundbreaking phone, offering a futuristic wraparound display and premium design.
• 😀 The device was banned by the US, which prevented Huawei from using Google Play services, causing significant limitations for users.
• 😀 Despite lacking Google services, the Mate 30 Pro had impressive camera hardware, including a 40MP main sensor and an ultra-wide lens that excelled in low light.
• 😀 The phone’s camera system delivered natural-looking photos with excellent dynamic range and detail, even in low light.
• 😀 The wraparound display, although controversial, had surprisingly good touch rejection, especially compared to some other phones with curved displays.
• 😀 Despite its premium feel, the Mate 30 Pro was smaller and sleeker than other flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
• 😀 The phone featured expandable storage via a proprietary Nano memory card slot, which was rare in flagship devices at the time.
• 😀 Portrait mode on the Mate 30 Pro included unique bokeh shapes, a feature not commonly seen on other smartphones, which made the photos stand out.
• 😀 The lack of a dedicated telephoto lens was a downside, with the 8MP telephoto sensor underperforming compared to the competition.
• 😀 Huawei's ban by the US stunted its ability to compete in the Western market, despite the company’s potential to challenge industry leaders like Samsung and Apple.
• 😀 The Huawei Mate 30 Pro is considered ahead of its time, with innovative features that still hold up well against modern smartphones, particularly in photography.

Q & A

What was the main innovation of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro at the time of its release?

The Huawei Mate 30 Pro was innovative due to its wraparound display, which lacked a traditional volume rocker, and its advanced camera system with a large set of sensors, making it one of the most futuristic phones of its time.

Why was the Huawei Mate 30 Pro difficult for the average user to use upon release?

The Huawei Mate 30 Pro was difficult for the average user because it was banned from using Google services, meaning it did not come with essential apps like the Play Store, YouTube, or Gmail, requiring users to manually install apps from alternative sources.

How did Huawei's ban by the U.S. affect the Mate 30 Pro's functionality?

The U.S. ban prevented Huawei from working with Google, meaning the Mate 30 Pro lacked Google Play services, which greatly hindered its usability as users had to go through extra steps to install apps and perform basic functions.

What was the significance of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro's camera system?

The Mate 30 Pro featured a 40 MP RYYB main camera and an equally impressive 40 MP ultra-wide lens, excelling in low-light conditions. The phone's camera still holds up in 2024, providing natural color reproduction, dynamic range, and a professional-like depth of field, especially in portrait mode.

How did the wraparound display perform in terms of touch rejection?

Despite its extreme curve, the touch rejection on the Huawei Mate 30 Pro was surprisingly good. In fact, it performed better than less curved screens on some newer devices like the OnePlus 12.

What was unique about the Huawei Mate 30 Pro's portrait mode?

The Mate 30 Pro's portrait mode was unique in that it allowed users to adjust the amount of background blur (Bokeh) and even choose the shape of the Bokeh, emulating the look of different lenses, a feature that was not widely adopted by other manufacturers at the time.

Why did the speaker mention the Huawei Mate 30 Pro still impresses with its low-light photography?

The Huawei Mate 30 Pro’s RYYB sensor enabled exceptional low-light performance, allowing it to take photos in near darkness. Even compared to newer phones in 2024, it continues to impress as a strong performer in low-light environments.

How did the design of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro compare to other flagship devices?

The design of the Mate 30 Pro was considered premium, with a sleek, slender feel despite its thickness. It featured a unique wraparound display, a small camera bump, and a beautiful rear finish that reflected light in interesting ways, setting it apart from more conventional designs.

What was the impact of Huawei's absence from the Western market on the smartphone industry?

Huawei’s absence from the Western market led to stagnation in the smartphone industry, with fewer major leaps in innovation from brands like Apple and Samsung. Huawei’s competition pushed these companies to innovate more aggressively, and its loss reduced the pressure for such advancements.

What is the current state of Huawei's brand and its influence on the smartphone market?

Since the ban, Huawei has struggled to replicate the same level of innovation, and its spin-off brand Honor, while successful, hasn't captured the same boldness as Huawei did with its devices like the Mate 30 Pro. Huawei’s absence has left a noticeable gap in pushing the boundaries of smartphone hardware.