Honor 50 launches globally for 529, complete with Google apps and services – The Verge

The Honor 50 is releasing globally with prices starting at 529, the former Huawei sub-brand announced today. The smartphone was originally announced for the Chinese market in June, but today sees the company confirm its global pricing and its early November release date. For 529 (about $615), you get 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and theres also a 599 (about $695) model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Honor says the phone will be available in over 40 countries, but there are no immediate plans to release the phone in the US.

The big news with the Honor 50 is that its the companys first device to ship with Googles apps and services since splitting from former parent company Huawei. Google pulled Huaweis Android license in 2019 due to US sanctions, meaning its phones have lacked essential Android apps and services like the Google Play Store, severely limiting its appeal outside of China. The return of Google means that the Honor 50 could once again be competitive with other Android handsets in the West.

The Honor 50 is otherwise pretty much the same device announced for China in June. Its powered by a Snapdragon 778G processor and has a 4,300mAh battery that can be fast charged at 66W. Its got a 6.57-inch curved 120Hz 1080p OLED display, and around back there are four cameras: a 108-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, a 2-megapixel macro, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

As well as the Honor 50, Honor is also announcing a global launch for the more affordable Honor 50 Lite today, which starts at 299 (about $350) for the 6GB RAM model. Honor says the Honor 50 and Honor 50 Lite will be available in European markets such as the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, in addition to other markets like Egypt, the UAE, and South Africa.

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Honor 50 launches globally for 529, complete with Google apps and services - The Verge