Huawei Pocket S: The Most Affordable Foldable Is Here!
Robert Cerff / 10-11-2022 / Tech
The most affordable foldable smartphone has officially launched in China. Introducing the Huawei Pocket S, it hit the Chinese market on 2 November and is expected to launch in South Africa sometime in April next year. It's the successor of the P50 Pocket, Huawei’s first-ever clamshell foldable.
But unlike the P50 Pocket, the new foldable is shockingly affordable and even undercuts its biggest rival, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4. Based on Chinese prices, the Pocket S starts from CNY6,000 for the 128GB version (around R15 000), CNY6,500 for the 256GB version (around R16 000), and CNY7,500 for the 512GB version (around R18 000).
For perspective, when the P50 Pocket launched last year, prices started from R29 000.
To claim its place as the most affordable foldable smartphone, Huawei had to opt for fewer external cameras and an older generation chipset. Besides this, the smartphone is very similar to its predecessor in terms of looks and hardware. It features the same foldable form factor with a circular notification display, but what’s under the hood? Let’s find out.
Two displays are better than one
The Huawei Pocket S boasts two displays - a 6.9-inch internal foldable display with a smooth 120hz refresh rate and high 2790 x 1188 resolution, and a circular 1.04-inch external display that conveniently shows notifications, acts as a camera viewfinder, and more. Its great size combined with the ability to fold provides an immersive viewing experience and the ease of compactness - it’s the best of both worlds.
High resolution main camera doubles as a selfie snapper
The camera specs on the new foldable almost mirror those of the P50 Pocket - except it doesn’t include a 32MP ultra-spectrum shooter. You get two rear cameras, a 40MP main and 13MP ultrawide, and a 10.7MP front-facing camera. Since it’s following in the footsteps of its predecessor, we expect to see the main camera produce accurate, sharp, dynamic images, and the ultrawide adding a new dimension with incredible detail. The foldable form factor means the rear cameras fold into the cover screen, enabling you to snap higher-resolution selfies from the main lens.
7 series Snapdragon chipset means better efficiency
Powering the Pocket S is a midrange Snapdragon 778G processor, a step down from the flagship Snapdragon 888 in the P50 Pocket. It’s an LTE chip that, unfortunately, doesn’t support 5G connectivity. But there is a silver lining. Benchmark test results show the Snapdragon 778G was only about 15% weaker than the 888. Plus, being one series lower, it’s less power-hungry and more power efficient.
All you need in a battery
The Pocket S sports a 4,000mAh lithium-polymer battery under the hood and supports up to 40W fast charging - just like its predecessor. But this time around, a lower series chipset will likely take the battery further after each full charge, ensuring you get more out of the phone. Although the battery is below the industry standard of 5,000mAh, it’s bigger than the battery in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. Tests show that the Pocket S charges from 10 to 100% within an hour at a maximum of 40W. The handset even wirelessly charges other devices at 5W. Yes, this is slow, but it can be helpful in many situations.
Verdict
The Huawei P50 Pocket finally makes it affordable to own a foldable. If you’re willing to drop the chipset and camera features down a notch, you can get a replica of the P50 Pocket but at a more pocket-friendly price. Its big and bright display, snappy refresh rate, power-efficiency, powerful main camera and eye-catching design makes this new foldable a must-have!
When Huawei Pocket S officially launches locally, Mondo will be here to bring you the latest deals across all leading networks in South Africa. If you’re looking for a smartphone right now, check out our newest deals from Huawei, Samsung, Apple, Oppo, Hisense, and many more. Use our website to conveniently compare prices and easily apply for a smartphone contract that ticks all your boxes.
