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The Mate 70 Air is HUAWEI’s clapback to the iPhone Air

HUAWEI’s slimmest smartphone slab so far

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Like it or not, brands continue to push boundaries in tech and innovation by bringing us super slender slabs on the table.

From Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, TECNO’s SPARK Slim, and Apple’s iPhone 17 Air, HUAWEI re-explores this year’s Mate line with an all-new model: the Mate 70 Air.

The Thinnest Mate

Although the Mate 70 Air doesn’t totally beat iPhone Air’s 5.68mm thinness, it’s still HUAWEI’s thinnest slimmest single-slab smartphone to date at just 6.6mm thin!

HUAWEI Mate 70 Air

Hidden beneath this ultra-thin design is a large 6500mAh Si/C battery.

It also fills in the lapses of the iPhone Air by incorporating a large VC (Vapor Cooling) chamber as well as the inclusion of dual stereo speakers.

Fast charging is capped at 66W through HUAWEI’s SuperCharge standards although unlike the iPhone and Galaxy, the Mate 70 Air lacks wireless charging.

This time, HUAWEI has indicated the processor it uses. It’s powered by the company’s in-house chipsets: Kirin 9020A for 16GB variants while 9020B for the smaller 12GB models.

HUAWEI Mate 70 Air

Definitively, the Mate 70 Air is also the first super-slim smartphone that boasts a triple camera system.

And by that, it houses the three main focal lengths in modern-day smartphones: 1x wide (main), ultra-wide, and even a telephoto module intact.

HUAWEI Mate 70 Air XMAGE Camera

To be precise, it has a 50MP f/1.8 main camera based on a 1/1.3-inch sensor plus an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens that doubles as a macro unit.

Last but definitely not the least, there’s the 12MP f/2.4 RYYB telephoto module that can take shots in 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digitally.

Front camera is a 10MP f/2.2 ultra-wide shooter.

Video recording is capped at 4K with AIS in mind (yes, AI-based image stabilization). Don’t be confused though as the main and telephoto cameras still have OIS built-in.

7-inch after 7 years!

The HUAWEI Mate 70 Air boasts a massive display not just in theory, but in real numbers. And by that, it has a massive 7.0-inch display.

After the 7.2-inch touting Mate 20X from seven (7) years ago, it’s the second HUAWEI phone to boast a screen past the 6-inch mark.

It’s a 120Hz Full HD+ OLED display capable of producing up to 4000 nits of peak brightness and has Audio and HDR Vivid Certifications as well.

HUAWEI Kunlun Glass

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

And as surprising as it seems, it’s the only other slab that has stylus support (other than the Galaxy S series).

Covering that is none other than HUAWEI’s latest-gen Kunlun glass.

And while we’re at it, an ultra-durable brocade material was also used. This improves impact resistance of up to 10 times.

HUAWEI Mate 70 Air

It also features the quintessential dual IP68 + IP69 water and dust resistance rating.

Lastly, it runs China-based HarmonyOS 5.1 with intelligent AI features in line.

Wi-Fi 7+

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Also, an upgraded Wi-Fi 7+ support debuts here that can easily penetrate walls and reduce unwanted buffering while streaming.

Two-way satellite services, at least in China, is also supported through Beidou.

Pricing and Availability

The HUAWEI Mate 70 Air is available in Obsidian Black, Feathered White, plus Gold and Silver Brocade color choices.

HUAWEI Mate 70 Air

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Mainland China pricing and configuration are as follows:

  • 12+256GB =CNY 4199 (US$ 585 / EUR 505 / GBP 430 / SG$ 750 / PhP 33,430 / INR 50,360)
  • 12+512GB = CNY 4699 (US$ 660 / EUR 570 / GBP 495 / SG$ 860 / MYR 2780 / PhP 38,400 / INR 58,300)
  • 16+256GB = CNY 4699 (US$ 660 / EUR 570 / GBP 495 / SG$ 860 / MYR 2780 / PhP 38,400 / INR 58,300)
  • 16+512GB = CNY 5199 (US$ 730 / EUR 630 / GBP 550 / SG$ 950 / MYR 3075 / PhP 42,485 / INR 64,500)

* These are only approximate, rounded-off conversions for reference

As usual, global availability was never indicated. We just have to wait if they will bring this to overseas markets like this year’s Pura 80 series.

Gaming

The Steam Controller is coming out on May 4

It will cost $99.

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The best part of the Steam Deck is its portability. However, an underrated aspect of the handheld console is its button layout. Unlike its contemporaries, the Steam Deck has two trackpads on either side of the device. Now, that same layout is coming to the Steam Controller.

The Steam Controller was part of the trio of innovative devices that Valve announced late last year. While the spotlight is on the Steam Machine, the Controller is also enough to whet any gamer’s appetite.

Besides the convenient layout, the Steam Controller offers easy integration with Steam. The peripheral can communicate with any device — PC or mobile — that has Steam or the Steam Link app installed. As such, it’s easy to take control of your gaming library straight from the controller.

The only catch, though, is that it works solely on Steam. Any other game that has its own separate launcher, such as Genshin Impact, cannot be used with the Steam Controller unless they’re added directly to Steam.

The Steam Controller is launching on May 4 globally. It will retail for US$ 99.

On the flip side, Valve has not announced when the rest of its hardware will launch. Both the Steam Machine and the Steam Frame have not made appearances yet, reportedly because of the ongoing issues with RAM production all over the world. However, the company is still optimistic about releasing these devices within the year.

SEE ALSO: Valve announces its own console called the Steam Machine

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Samsung Galaxy Glasses revealed in leaked images

It’s out first glimpse since getting teased by Samsung.

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Image: Glasses from TECNO

Samsung’s next major project is now making its first peek from the shadows. The upcoming Galaxy Glasses recently surfaced in a major leak.

Being an unannounced device, Samsung has not revealed anything substantial about the new glasses yet. We know it exists, though. Months ago, the company made direct allusions to “next-generation AR glasses.” Now, for the first time, the so-called Galaxy Glasses are real, albeit via a leak.

Revealed by Android Headlines, the Galaxy Glasses look like a standard set of frames but with some tech built inside. It’s not a complete package yet, though. Codenamed “Jinju,” the first iteration of the wearable will not have a display. Instead, it will have a built-in camera, which users can interface with via Android XR.

Image source: Android Headlines

It’s not the only thing, too. Though the leak depicts the Jinju, Samsung is reportedly working on a second iteration already. Codenamed “Haean,” the second generation will have a micro-LED display. That pair might debut in 2027.

In the meantime, the Jinju is expected to launch later this year at an undisclosed date. The likeliest candidate is the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked in a few months.

Though undisclosed, this might not be the only time we’ll hear about the Galaxy Glasses. Next month, Google is hosting its annual I/O event. Android XR will likely make an appearance, so expect Samsung’s wearable to be bandied around even if it’s just a mention.

Additionally, Samsung won’t be the only player. Google is also expected to launch its own pair of glasses soon.

SEE ALSO: Samsung is teasing smart glasses again

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This rumored iPhone 18 color will make you switch phones

The rumored Dark Cherry color looks so premium.

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Image source: Macworld

(Cosmic) orange is the new black. With the iPhone 17 series, Apple introduced the color as the next fashion statement for the ubiquitous phone. If you see an orange phone today, chances are that it’s an all-new iPhone 17 Pro Max. This year, the series might get another new statement color: Dark Cherry.

Though the usual suspects of colors will always be there, Apple often leaves a bit of room for more experimental options for those who want to stand out with their new phone. As you can probably tell from the ongoing deluge of orange, the strategy is working well for Apple.

According to Macworld, Apple is working on a Dark Cherry option for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.

Red isn’t a color foreign to the iPhone. In the past, several generations included a limited red colorway option. If the reports are true, red might be a standard option, rather than a limited edition.

But, of course, Dark Cherry is different from the red that we’re used to. Instead of the bright red, the new option will be more similar to the color of wine.

Besides Dark Cherry, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will also have Light Blue, Dark Gray, and Silver as options. Though Light Blue also looks great, the wine-like color looks like a personal highlight for me. I didn’t know I wanted a wine-colored iPhone until I saw the renders for this.

SEE ALSO: iPhone 18 may have lower specs and a delayed launch, rumor says

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