One of this year’s top Android phones won’t be available in the US
Huawei will not be selling the new Mate 20 range in the United States, the company has confirmed in a statement.
While the Chinese firm has long been shut out by US carriers, some previous flagship releases have been available for US consumers to buy in unlocked form. However, that won’t be the case this time around, the company says.
In other territories, such as the UK, the Mate 20 Pro expected to give the iPhone XS Max and other large-screen Android flagships a serious run for their money, so its absence from the US market will come as a blow to some smartphone fans.
In a statement, Huawei told Business Insider: “We are not planning to sell the Mate 20 series in the U.S. While international variants of the Mate 20 series may be available on some U.S. online retail sites, we encourage individuals to carefully read the details about the warranty and network compatibility before purchasing.”
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That means Huawei fans might be able to snag the European versions of the device through a smartphone retailer willing to import them, but the company won’t be officially releasing the devices on US soil.
Considering the Mate 20 Pro arrives as a “feature packed” device to rival the best Android phones on the market, it’s a shame US consumers won’t have the opportunity to join in the fun. In his first look, our own Max Parker called the Mate 20 Huawei’s “most audacious” phone yet, rocking an in-display fingerprint scanner, four cameras, and the ability to wirelessly charge other phones.
Huawei has fought its way to becoming the second most popular smartphone maker in the world despite being unable to gain a foothold in the United States. The reluctance for US networks to embrace Huawei phones can be attributed to unproven fears the company’s devices are being used by the Chinese government for spying services.
AT&T had agreed to carry last year’s Mate 10 Pro, but pulled out of the deal back in January. Verizon had also baulked at selling the handsets, while major retailer Best Buy also put the kibosh on selling Huawei products.
Will you be seeking a way to get hold of the Huawei Mate 20 series in the United States? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.