Huawei is back with a new generation of its photography-focused flagships, but some incredible camera technology is once again let down by a major shortcoming.
The Pura 70 range – a rebranding of the P series devices that preceded it – includes three new devices. The classic Pura 70 and Pura 70 Pro can be considered direct successors to last year’s models, but the Pura 70 Ultra is brand new.
To say the cameras are the main focus (pun unintended) would be an understatement. The main 50MP rear sensors on all three phones have a variable aperture, helping to improve low-light performance and provide natural depth of field.
However, the Pura 70 Ultra goes even further. It’s the only one of the three with a 1-inch sensor and the world’s first phone with a retractable zoom lens. This mirrors what you’ll find on DSLR cameras and allows it to capture much more light than a typical smartphone.
Huawei
Huawei says the pop-out mechanism has been tested for 300,000 retraction cycles, the equivalent of 150 per day for five years. And if you drop it 0.2m or more, the camera will automatically retract.
Impressively, rather than negatively impacting water and dust resistance, the IP68 rating here is verified at 2m underwater rather than the usual 1.5m.
There are also variations when it comes to lens support. The 12Mp telephoto lens on the standard Pura 70 actually has a 5x longer optical zoom than the 3.5x on the Pro (48Mp) and Ultra (50Mp), but the latter is more versatile for everyday use.
Elsewhere, the 40MP ultrawide on the Ultra will also likely be a big step up from the Pro’s 12.5MP sensor and 13MP lens on the regular Pura 70. The 13MP selfie lenses are consistent across all three.
Will this setup make the Pura 70 Ultra the best camera phone you can buy? Time will tell, but the Xiaomi 14 Ultra represents extremely strong competition, especially when you factor in its optional photography kit.
Chris Martin / Foundry
A familiar cautionary tale
However, if you live in Europe and want to use one of these devices as your primary smartphone, it’s no contest. Both have top-notch hardware, but only Xiaomi offers software that won’t constantly frustrate you.
Its HyperOS skin is by no means the best rendition of Android 14, but it retains crucial access to all of Google’s services – including millions of third-party apps through the Play Store. For an even better software experience, the Google Pixel 8 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra combine powerful cameras with a great user interface.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
On the other hand, Huawei’s ongoing US trade ban means its HarmonyOS software is missing out. Although loosely based on Android, many of the most popular apps in Europe are missing, such as WhatsApp, Facebook (main app and Messenger), Snapchat, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.
Some workarounds are available, but it is a frustrating and time-consuming process. Ultimately, unless you’re a camera enthusiast and don’t mind spending a lot of money on a device that probably won’t be your primary phone, you’re better off elsewhere.
It’s a real shame, because the Pura 70 Ultra, in particular, has solid specs in every other area. Besides the cameras, you get a high-quality 6.8-inch 120Hz OLED display, a powerful Kirin 9010 chipset, and a stunning vegan leather back.
Huawei
You also get a large 5,200mAh battery with support for 100W wired charging (charger in the box), 80W wireless charging, and 20W reverse wireless charging. W.
In Europe, the Pura 70 costs $999, the Pura 70 Pro $1,199 and the Pura 70 Ultra $1,499. Pre-orders are now live on the Huawei website ahead of the release of all three models on May 22.
In the UK, Huawei told Tech Advisor the following: “The Pura70 series will be available in overseas markets from May 2. The UK is not part of the first wave of markets; However, Huawei is continually evaluating the regional availability of its flagship products and we will share more information on the availability of the Pura70 Ultra in the UK in the coming months.
This statement seems to suggest that the Pura 70 Ultra will come to the UK later, but the Pura 70 and Pura 70 Pro will not.
But it’s probably not worth the wait. For most people, another smartphone will suit them better.