The Huawei P70, rumored to pack a 1-inch sensor for its ultra-wide camera, is delayed

Remember the Huawei P70? Yeah, we can’t forget it either – not while the rumor about its alleged 1-inch sensor for the ultra-wide camera is still alive. At the end of January, a claim said the photo-centric Huawei P70 is coming “by the end of March or early April this year”.

That’s about to change, apparently: the well-known Digital Chat Station tipster shared the bad news on the Chinese social media platform Weibo – the release of Huawei’s P70 series will be postponed. Now, this handset is anticipated to launch at the end of April, if not later (via Gizmochina).

Some claim this delay is the result of tightened US sanctions on China, Huawei and the SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp). The US officials are set to cut off SMIC’s most advanced factory from getting more American imports. That’s because SMIC produced a sophisticated chip for Huawei's Mate 60 Pro, the phone that wasn’t meant to be, yet materialized against all odds in 2023.

Others say otherwise: the delay is a result of Huawei being overwhelmed with various products and projects all at once (new notebooks, headphones, smart TVs, home products' development, as well as preparation for the most important series – the premium Mate 70).

Back in January, prominent industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared some predictions about the Huawei P70 line. According to Kuo, the ultra-wide angle camera module will be upgraded and will bring a behemoth 1-inch type sensor to one of the devices in the lineup.

1-inch sensors for mobile cameras are rare, and we’re still celebrating every phone maker out there that decides to pack such a large sensor (this gives users better low-light photography capabilities, better bokeh, and more).

Translated in sales, the potential camera upgrade of the P70 series, shipments are expected to grow by 100- 120% compared to those of the Huawei P60 series.

Speaking of the P60 series, Huawei utilized a rear three-camera design that was aligned vertically. The middle lens being the largest, it was surrounded on the upper and lower sides by an ultra-wide one and a telephoto unit.

The non-camera specs

It is reported that the P70 will feature a quad-curved OLED display, offering a 1.5K resolution. As for the size, expect a 6.7-inch panel.

It’s possible that the upcoming Huawei P70 series will bring a new processor to the users, the Kirin 9010. The series is anticipated to encompass three smartphones: the standard Huawei P70, the Huawei P70 Pro, and the Huawei P70 Pro Art.