HUAWEI Y3 2018 now official, packing Android Go and modest specs (Update)

Update (05/10/2018): HUAWEI has officially launched the Y3 2018 Android Go device in South Africa with a 999 rand (~$80) price tag. This is the same price as the Nokia 1 Android Go device in the country, so you can expect it to have a similar price to the Nokia 1 in other markets too.

Original article: HUAWEI has quietly listed its first Android Go smartphone, titled the HUAWEI Y3 2018. The new handset appeared on the company’s Ghanaian website (spotted by Gadgets 360), complete with images and specifications.

True to its lightweight OS, the device has an entry-level MediaTek MT6737M quad-core A53 chipset, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of storage. Other key specs include a 5-inch 854 x 480 display, microUSB port, and a 2,280mAh battery. The camera department is comprised of an 8MP main camera and 2MP front-facing snapper.

The firm also touted features such as the F2FS file system and a loudspeaker. Even low-end phones include loudspeakers, so presumably, it’s a good one, since the company is highlighting it.

The HUAWEI Y3 2018 release date hasn’t been confirmed just yet, but a HUAWEI executive previously told Android Authority that its Android Go phone was set to hit South African shores in May. It’s unclear if the newly announced phone is the same Android Go handset as the device we covered in our previous report, however.

For one, the Y3 2018’s 8GB storage figure differs from the 16GB of space we were originally told to expect by HUAWEI. We also saw an FCC filing for a 1GB RAM/16GB storage HUAWEI device this week, which suggests a variant with more storage is also coming, or an entirely different model.

The HUAWEI Y3 2018 is just one of several Android Go phones to be revealed lately, including the Nokia 1, ZTE Tempo Go, and Lava Z50.