HUAWEI Mate 50: The first smartphone to support satellite messaging  

Official with variable aperture camera

HUAWEI has unveiled its new flagship series, the Mate 50 and Mate 50 Pro , which are the first smartphones that can send text messages via satellite. They achieve this thanks to BeiDou, China’s global satellite network, allowing communication even in areas without mobile coverage.

Both phones come with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and 8GB of RAM. The Mate 50 has a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, while the Mate 50 Pro has a 6.74-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Both have a 50MP main camera with a variable aperture that allows lens stops from f/1.4 to f/4, as well as a 13MP ultra-wide with f/2.2. The Mate 50 also has a 12MP telephoto that offers 100x digital zoom, while the Mate 50 Pro has a 64MP telephoto with 200x digital zoom. In front we have a 13MP ultra-wide selfie with f/2.4.

The Pro model has a 4,700mAh battery that charges with 66W wired and 50W wireless. The new battery emergency mode allows the phone to stay on for three hours with just 1% battery left. The Mate 50 has the same technologies, but with a 4,460mAh battery.

The phones come with HarmonyOS 3.0 and only 4G connectivity. The Mate 50 is available with a capacity of 128GB and a price of $720, while the Pro is 256GB and $980. Worldwide availability has not been announced.