Category: Huawei Mate 9

In the fast paced world of Android phones (and iPhones for that matter), some devices age well while others seemingly die without much of a thought to them.  A lot of it depends on the manufacture and their willingness to continue to develop updates for the device but also it depends on the niche in which the device attempts to be the answer.

In the case of the Huawei Mate 9, the Chinese company has continued to support the 5.9″ phablet by recently releasing their Android Oreo based EMUI 8 experience.  That, along with filling the need of a large screen device for some, has let this phone age well.  It’s still a powerhouse of a device that, even though it has now been superseded by the Mate 10, I don’t have a problem recommending.

I reviewed the Huawei Mate 9 back in March 2017 and at the time, I felt it was one of the fastest devices I had reviewed to that point.  I felt the same way about the smaller Huawei P10 which has the same SoC (System on Chip) setup as the Mate 9.  Now nearly a year later, I still feel the same way.  This is a solid phone with a lot to offer despite its age.  Yes, Android Oreo will likely be the last major update for the Mate 9 but that shouldn’t completely turn you away from it.  It has a lot to offer and remains one of the best overall flagship phone options out there, especially now that it is under $500.

I’m not necessarily going to be re-reviewing the Mate 9 in this post but rather will highlight how the phone has performed over time.  I’ll cover how the chassis has held up, how battery life has performed over time and the new EMUI 8 update for the phone to name a few things.

After being released in various other markets, the Android Oreo update for the US variant of the Huawei Mate 9 is now rolling out.  Both the MHA-L29 and MHA-L09 are getting the update and it should be coming to your Mate 9 over the course of the next few days.  The 29 is the dual SIM variant while the 09 is the single SIM.

Along with the update to Android Oreo itself, you will be getting the January Android Security Update patch, a new portrait mode for the rear camera, and the new AI-driving EMUI 8 user experience.

Today’s Deal is on the fantastic phablet from Huawei, the Huawei Mate 9 that is bundled with the Huawei Band 2 fitness tracker.  Today only, on Amazon,  you can pick up the 5.9″ phone with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage and the Band 2 for $399.  That’s $200 off the original $599 price tag for the phone alone.   I reviewed the Mate 9 earlier this year and it is an outstanding device with an awesome display, great battery life and excellent cameras.  At this price, it is well worth considering.

So what does $399 get you in the Huawei Mate 9?  A lot frankly.  It is a 5.9″ phone running Android Nougat, an octa-core processor running at 2.4GHz and Leica optics dual-camera setup shooting at 20MP and 12MP respectively with OIS.  The front facing selfie camera is 8MP shooter.  You also have 64GB of built-in storage that can be expanded up to an additional  256GB thanks to the MicroSD slot.  Finally, it comes with a US warranty so you are not buying an international version of the phone.

Today’s Deal is on the fantastic phablet from Huawei, the Huawei Mate 9.  Today on Amazon you can pick up the 5.9″ phone with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for $449.95.  That’s $150 off the original $599 price tag.  Plus, you have the choice of two colors for this price:  Moonlight Silver or Space Grey.  I reviewed the Mate 9 earlier this year and it is an outstanding device with an awesome display, great battery life and excellent cameras.  At this price, it is well worth considering.

So what does $449 get you in the Huawei Mate 9?  A lot frankly.  It is a 5.9″ phone running Android Nougat, an octa-core processor running at 2.4GHz and Leica optics dual-camera setup shooting at 20MP and 12MP respectively with OIS.  The front facing selfie camera is 8MP shooter.  You also have 64GB of built-in storage that can be expanded up to an additional  256GB thanks to the MicroSD slot.  Finally, it comes with a US warranty so you are not buying an international version of the phone.

For those of you who have had your eye on the Huawei Mate 9, today is your day to pick one up.  As part of Amazon’s Primeday sale, you can pick up the 5.9″ phablet with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for $449, a savings of $150.  I reviewed the Mate 9 earlier this year and it is an outstanding device with an awesome display, great battery life and excellent cameras.  At this price, it is well worth considering.

So what does $449 get you in the Huawei Mate 9?  A lot frankly.  It is a 5.9″ phone running Android Nougat, an octa-core processor running at 2.4GHz and Leica optics dual-camera setup shooting at 20MP and 12MP respectively with OIS.  The front facing selfie camera is 8MP shooter.  You also have 64GB of built-in storage that can be expanded up to an additional  256GB thanks to the MicroSD slot.  Finally, it comes with a US warranty so you are not buying an international version of the phone.

After being on the market these past four months, the Huawei Mate 9 is doing well for the Chinese company.  In a report from China based MyDrivers.com, the company reports that some 5 million units of the 5.9″ phablet have been sold globally.  That is up 36% over the same period for its predecessor, the Mate 8.  Generally, the Mate 9 has been met with solid reviews for its design and performance.  I reviewed it a few weeks back and it, along with its smaller sibling the P10, are impressive devices.

Huawei isn’t resting however.  They have already issued updates for the phablet that brings Daydream support, one of the few non-Google devices with the VR support, and have brought Amazon’s Alexa to the phone too.  The latter has been less-than-stellar on performance but Huawei, for their part, fulfilled the promise to bring the Amazon assistant to the phone at MWC back in February.