We've come all the way to Paris to witness the European launch of the new Honor View 20. As you know, the phone was unveiled at CES 2019 earlier this month, and now it's being announced on this side of the pond, revealing its release date and price in Spain . We'll tell you everything you need to know to get your hands on the new smartphone with a hole-punch display.
Honor View 20, features
Before we get to the prices, let's set the scene by reviewing its main features to refresh your memory - in this article about the features of the View 20 we also explain all its qualities in detail.
As you know, this Chinese phone features a 6,4-inch Full HD+ display that embraces the latest trend in mobile phones: a hole-punch cutout for the camera, eliminating the notch – "notch-less technology," as the Chinese call it. This, combined with incredibly thin bezels, results in a 91,8% screen-to-body ratio.
Honor explains that the camera is housed beneath a 4,5mm thick transparent hole , created using an advanced screen lithography process. The company claims this "outperforms the competition in integrated cameras," as it maintains the screen's structure and strength better than any other device while preserving image quality.
Inside, it runs an octa-core Kirin 980 processor, accompanied by 6 or 8 GB of RAM, and features technologies such as Link Turbo , whose mission is to optimize the phone's data download speeds by simultaneously combining LTE and WiFi.
The device boasts numerous features designed for gamers, including Liquid Cooling and GPU Turbo 2.0 technology , both designed to enhance the mobile gaming experience. It also features the new GPU Cloud for remotely playing certain titles. Android 9 Pie will handle all of this seamlessly, with the Magic UI customization layer based on EMUI 9, while a generous 4.000 mAh battery with fast charging completes the package.
In terms of photography, we first find its unique front camera with a 25 MP sensor, while on the back, the phone opts for a combination of a sensor of no less than 48 MP (a ½ inch Sony IMX586 CMOS), with an f/1.8 aperture, and another type of 3D TOF, responsible for the creation and capture of 3D images and augmented reality.
What the 3D camera does is collect information on the shapes of the objects in the scene thanks to so-called time-of-flight (TOF) signals that manage to enhance the sensation of depth and are also capable of detecting the body and capturing movement. This function gives life to a new series of functions such as interactive games, something that the manufacturer brings to life with a Ski game installed as standard in the terminal.
In terms of design , the smartphone uses "nanolithography technology to create an invisible nanotexture on the body" and undergoes a "nanovacuum coating process with an invisible aurora texture" for its finish. All these technical terms, explained in simpler terms, are simply what create the beautiful V-shaped color gradient effect you can see on the back of the device—see image above. The phone is 8,1 mm thick.
Honor X Moschino
The manufacturer has also taken advantage of the presentation to announce an official collaboration with the Moschino brand, a label that will bring a special version of the View 20 in two exclusive colors, Phantom Blue and Phantom Red), sharing the same internal characteristics as the rest of models, including the 25-megapixel front camera hidden in the screen, although it will jump to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal memory.
Price and availability of the Honor View 20
As we mentioned at the beginning, the European announcement of the phone includes a release date and price for Spain. Honor has confirmed that the phone is available in Spain starting today, January 22nd , and can be purchased from the brand's online store as well as at MediaMarkt, Phone House, Fnac, and El Corte Inglés. The Moschino version will be priced at €649.
The device is priced at €549 – its previous generation cost €469, for comparison – for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage version. If you prefer the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage model, you'll have to pay €699.
And, be aware, because the phone comes with a gift if you buy it online (both in the aforementioned Honor store and in those of the distributors mentioned), accompanied by the Honor Watch Magic for free (its official price is 179,9 euros).