HONOR teases 9X Pro global launch, will be its 'first HMS-based smartphone'

HONOR has confirmed the global launch of the HONOR 9X Pro and the its MagicBook laptop series. The launch is scheduled to take place at Huawei’s uncanceled MWC event in Barcelona on February 24.

The HONOR 9X Pro is not a new phone and was launched alongside the HONOR 9X back in July 2019. At the time, its availability was limited to China. The phone was the company’s first to get a pop-up selfie camera.

In an emailed press release to Android Authority, HONOR noted that the 9X Pro will be also become its “first HMS-based smartphone.” This corroborates a previous report from earlier today, with one exception: It’s the HONOR 9X Pro that’ll mark the wider launch of HUAWEI Mobile Services (HMS), not the View 30 series as expected.

What to know about HONOR 9X Pro?

The HONOR 9X Pro might be HONOR’s first HMS-based handset, but it’s not HUAWEI’s first phone based on the framework. The new Google-replacing mobile suite has previously appeared on Mate 30 series units in countries like Spain and Indonesia.

On the flip side, it’s probably the first phone to get the revamped version of HMS. HUAWEI has been working hard to create apps and services of its own to replace Google’s offerings. The US ban on the company is still in effect and there’s no resolution in sight.

Under these circumstances, HUAWEI desperately needs a well-populated app store and essential services like Google Maps to make its phones more widely available.

Meanwhile, the company says that the Kirin 810 powering the HONOR 9X Pro “will offer ultimate gaming experience backed by powerful performance (sic).” The processor was announced by HUAWEI back in 2019 and also powers devices like HUAWEI’s recent Nova series phones.

As far as its first global laptop release is concerned, HONOR says that the launch of the MagicBook “will further strengthen the brand’s 1+8+N strategy, an ecosystem that integrates one smartphone, eight categories of additional connected products and a wide range of third-party linked devices.”

We’re not really sure what HONOR means by that, but you can expect the company to announce the HONOR MagicBook 14 and MagicBook 15 which were previously launched in China.