HUAWEI will finally sell its flagship phones in the US this year

HUAWEI is gearing up to release its top of the line devices in the United States, the company’s mobile chief told the Wall Street Journal.

Ahead of the release of the HUAWEI P9 today, Richard Yu, head of HUAWEI’s consumer electronics unit, told the WSJ that HUAWEI wants to become “No. 1 as a premium brand” and that it will begin releasing flagship devices in the United States later this year.

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Over the past two years, HUAWEI has made some exploratory moves in the US, but refrained itself from the kind of large-scale moves required for breaking into the highly competitive American market. HUAWEI sold mid-range devices like the Ascend Mate 2 and the G8X through its own online store and partners like Best Buy, but with the exception of the Nexus 6P, it held back its more expensive phones, like the Mate 8 or the P series.

It looks like that’s about to change, but it’s not clear what the first HUAWEI flagship to launch in the US will be. The Mate 8 is already almost five months old, so it’s an unlikely candidate at this point, but HUAWEI does have a record of stretching its release calendars.

We’ll find out if the HUAWEI P9 will get the honor of being the first HUAWEI flagship on US soil in just a few hours. Featuring dual Leica cameras and a design that elicits comparisons with the Nexus 6P, the P9 shapes up to be a very interesting device. We will attend the London event and we’ll bring you hands-on coverage as soon as possible.

Are you tempted by HUAWEI flagships?