Huawei Confirms, Showcases 6.1-inch Ascend Mate Phablet

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By Zak Islam
published

Smartphone/tablet hybrid is tipped to be world's most powerful handset.


Huawei has confirmed the existence of its 6.1-inch Ascend Mate phablet before its official unveiling at CES.

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer all but confirmed the 6.1-inch, full HD 1080 Ascend Mate earlier this month, with senior vice president Yu Chengdong stressing the firm's plans to provide a worthy competitor to Samsung's 5.5-inch Galaxy Note II (or eventually the Galaxy Note III).

Richard Yu, Hauwei's chairman of devices, showed the Ascend Mate within a company store in Guangzhou, China.

The Ascend Mate's rumored technical specifications would, if true, make it the world's most powerful smartphone. It's said to feature a full 1080p HD screen, 1.8GHz quad-core processor, 2 GB of RAM and a 4,000 mAh battery. It's also expected to measure up at 9.9mm thin, with a price tag said to be $480.

Huawei, who will reveal the Ascend D2 and W1 smartphones during CES, recently stated that it would release a device in 2013 that will best both Apple and Samsung's handsets.

华为 HUAWEI 余承东 6.1寸全高清大屏手机 - YouTube
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Zak Islam
13 Comments Comment from the forums
  • christarp
    absolutely ridiculous.
    Reply
  • bystander
    Is this supposed to be a new market? 6.1" is just too big for a mobile phone, but I suppose it might make sense as a home phone that can be used to quickly browse and do emails on the couch.

    I think I'd rather just have a smaller mobile smartphone and a tablet at home, but I could see this only as a casual home tablet alternative.
    Reply
  • WithoutWeakness
    I own the Note 2 and it's really the upper limit of what I would want to use as a phone. I'm 6' 4" and although I can hold it in one hand I can't reach the whole screen with my thumb while holding it like the photo above shows (fingers wrapped around the back to the other side). I have to "cradle" it with a few fingers on the back and my pinky on the bottom in order to be able to reach the whole screen with my thumb. Not a problem once I got used to it but it's definitely an issue for people with smaller/normal-sized hands.

    I'm sure this will have a market (just like the Note 2 has a market) but it will be fairly small. A phone like the Galaxy S III is really the largest I'd recommend for people who want to use their phone with one hand. Once you get into 5"+ screen sizes, the phone just becomes too wide to be held and used with one hand.

    With all that said, iPhones and other phones with >4.5" screens look and feel like toys once you've gotten used to a larger device.
    Reply
  • joytech22
    It's just too damn big..
    Reply
  • bystander
    WithoutWeaknessI own the Note 2 and it's really the upper limit of what I would want to use as a phone. I'm 6' 4" and although I can hold it in one hand I can't reach the whole screen with my thumb while holding it like the photo above shows (fingers wrapped around the back to the other side). I have to "cradle" it with a few fingers on the back and my pinky on the bottom in order to be able to reach the whole screen with my thumb. Not a problem once I got used to it but it's definitely an issue for people with smaller/normal-sized hands.I'm sure this will have a market (just like the Note 2 has a market) but it will be fairly small. A phone like the Galaxy S III is really the largest I'd recommend for people who want to use their phone with one hand. Once you get into 5"+ screen sizes, the phone just becomes too wide to be held and used with one hand.With all that said, iPhones and other phones with >4.5" screens look and feel like toys once you've gotten used to a larger device.
    The problem of holding it wasn't even what concerns me. It's lugging it around. It is way to big for a pocket, and even bulky to try and attach to your hip with a clip. Perhaps it would fit in a purse, but that already drops it's market in half.

    I was thinking it's only value is at a set location, like in the house or in the office.
    Reply
  • xpeh
    And only 480 dollars? Seems like a good deal IMO.
    Reply
  • halcyon
    For me 6.5" is the limit for a phone. That's pretty big but will still fit in my back jeans pocket. The Note 2 is a nice size for a phablet. With a 1080p screen the 6"+ can work. The Note 2 allows you to adjust most of those one-handed activities so they can still be done with one hand. After you get used to the size of these phablets anything smaller feels too small (even the S3) ...the iPhone's screen seems like a joke that is not amusing in any way (I feel sorry for those folks). There will definitely be a juicy market for these devices and I hope Samsung has just enough competition to push them to produce more greatness.
    Reply
  • $480?
    That almost sounds like a steal considering the Note 2's price unlocked!
    Reply
  • TheBigTroll
    this should be good for fly swatting
    Reply
  • iamtheking123
    No thanks...waiting to upgrade my S3 to the S4 though.
    Reply