Amidst uncertain times, the Honor 20 launches in Malaysia

• Quad-camera flagship priced at RM1,699
• Features 48MP rear camera with AI Ultra Clarity Mode

“WE’RE here. We’re here holding this amazing product launch.”  

This was what Honor Malaysia head Zhao Zhiwei said during the Honor 20 Series launch in Kuala Lumpur, after acknowledging that there are “many questions” surrounding the Huawei sub-brand. The questions are many indeed, as this launch follows the recent Google ban imposed on Huawei, which puts the telecommunications giant – as well as Honor – on uncertain grounds.

Little else is said about Honor’s situation, both at the launch and across the board. The sub-brand is seemingly unaffected by the ban, which cuts Huawei’s Android access to app and security updates.

It’s mostly business as usual during the launch at least, which sees the quad-camera Honor 20 arrive in Malaysia after its global launch in London.

“The arrival of the first quad-camera smartphone by Honor symbolises another milestone and we’re excited for the Honor 20 Series to allow our users to capture wonderful moments anywhere, anytime, offering versatilities to make a completely new work of art,” said Zhao.

“Honor continues to tirelessly be on a quest to combine functionality and pure aesthetics by giving users a chance to capture their lives through the wonders of 48MP AI Quad Camera, cutting-edge dynamic holographic design and all-round user experience”.

Four in the pocket

The Honor 20 Series smartphones include the Honor 20 and the Honor 20 Pro, the latter which will be announced at a later date. Both feature a quad-camera setup, led by a Sony IMX586 48MP main camera.

The main camera features the AI Ultra Clarity mode, which uses the device’s 7nm Kirin 980 AI chipset to collate the best details from multiple photos into one single 48MP photo with superior quality.

There’s also the AIS Super Night Mode, which creates clear night shots with heightened brightness, lower noise, and better colour preservation through the main camera’s F1.4 aperture.

The quad-camera setup includes a 16MP Super Wide Angle Camera, an 8MP telephoto camera and a 2MP macro camera. The wide angle camera allows users to capture images at an 117-degree viewing angle. The macro lens, on the other hand, allows users to capture minute details as close as 4cm from the subject.

The telephoto camera allows for 3X lossless optical zoom, 5X hybrid zoom and 30X digital zoom.

Young at heart

The Honor 20 introduces what the company refers to as a multi-dimensional, Dynamic Holographic glassback. Made using Honor’s Triple 3D Mesh technique, the process creates a depth layer using nanotechnology to engrave millions of miniature prisms, which is later assembled with 3D curved glass, colour layer and depth layer.

This is so that, when light passes through the prisms in the depth layer, the light is reflected and refracted in all directions, creating a rather fascinating effect.

The display of the device is a 6.26-inch screen with a 91.7% screen-to-body ratio, achieved with having the 4.5mm in-screen camera in a punch-hole design. What’s interesting is the placement of the fingerprint sensor.

Rather than place it under the screen, as most flagship smartphones prefer, the Honor 20 has the sensor situated at the right side of the aluminium frame, right on top of the power button.

The Honor 20 prices at RM1,699 and will come in two colour variants – Sapphire Blue and Midnight Black. Honor will be giving out free gifts worth RM500 with every purchase of the Honor 20 – upon availability, of course. The offer will be limited with terms and conditions to apply.

The official first sale date of the device has yet to be revealed, though Honor has assured that it will go on sale in Malaysia soon.