HUAWEI could soon launch a new 5G variant of its P40 Lite (Update: Launched!)

Update, May 18 2020 (2AM ET): We heard about the HUAWEI P40 Lite 5G last week, apparently being a rebranded version of the Nova 7 SE. Now, the Chinese manufacturer has officially launched the device in Europe (h/t: Pocket Now).

True to WinFuture‘s reporting (seen below), the phone has a Kirin 820 processor, Balong 5G modem, and an upgraded main camera (from 48MP to 64MP). A 4,000mAh battery with 40W charging will keep you going as well.

The biggest downside to the device is the lack of Google Play Services, which means the Google Play Store and a ton of other Google apps aren’t available (or don’t work properly).

The HUAWEI P40 Lite 5G will cost €399.90 (~$433) when it launches in Europe on May 29. There’s no word on availability for other countries, but we’ll keep you updated.

Original article, May 12 2020 (3:53AM ET): HUAWEI launched the P40 Lite back in February as its cheapest phone in the P40 lineup. The device didn’t carry the flagship Kirin 990 chipset and instead, featured the mid-range Kirin 810 SoC. It did, however, come with a very reasonable sub-€300 (~$324) price tag and a pretty decent quad camera setup.

Now, HUAWEI is reportedly preparing to launch a 5G version of the phone called the P40 Lite 5G. According to WinFuture, the new HUAWEI P40 Lite is a rebranded version of the HUAWEI Nova 7 SE which is currently available in China.

HUAWEI P40 Lite 5G: Specs

Huawei’s new phone reportedly features the Kirin 820 chipset, a mid-range processor launched by HUAWEI back in March. The chip also powers the HONOR 30S series in China and promises a 27% CPU performance boost as well as 40% GPU performance upgrade over the Kirin 810. For 5G connectivity, it integrates the same Balong 5G modem as the premium Kirin 990 SoC.

Elsewhere, the HUAWEI P40 Lite 5G is said to feature an HDR10 capable 6.5-inch LCD display with an FHD+ resolution. The display size is almost the same as the existing P40 Lite 4G variant.

The camera setup gets an upgrade though. The new P40 Lite 5G is said to house a 64MP main sensor in contrast to the 48MP camera on the existing model. Other camera sensors include an 8MP ultra-wide camera and two 2MP sensors for macro and depth shots. Unlike the current P40 Lite, the rear camera array on the new phone is stacked vertically instead of in a square enclosure. There’s also a 16MP selfie camera placed inside a punch hole on the top left corner of the screen.

A 4,000mAh battery powers the entire package and the phone is also equipped with 40W fast charging. It even gets wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities.

For software, the P40 Lite 5G is expected to feature EMUI 10 based on Android 10. There won’t be any Google apps and services though owing to the ongoing US ban against the company.

HUAWEI P40 Lite 5G: Price and availability

According to WinFuture, the upgraded P40 Lite will probably be priced under €400. Although, the publication says it doesn’t have reliable pricing info yet.

In terms of availability, the phone will reportedly launch in Northern Europe, France, and Germany, among other European countries. Its colorways include Crush Green, Space Silver, and Midnight Black.

We’ll update this article with official information when the HUAWEI P40 Lite 5G goes official.