Huawei Consumer Business Group has reported a steady growth of 33% in smartphone shipments, up from 7% from the previous quarter for mid-to-high-end devices. In numbers, that's 27.4 million units for three months that ended on the end of September 2015 and representing a year-on-year increase of 63 percent. 

“This quarter’s results clearly showcase the continued success of our growth strategy. We are especially proud of the stellar growth we’ve seen outside of China and the increased demand for our mid-to-high end devices. At this rate, we are confident in our ability to reach our smartphone shipment target of 100 million units by year’s end.” Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer BG

As the little brother of the more premium Huawei P8, the Huawei P8 Lite feels much like the missing step between the plastic and metal frame Huawei Ascend P7 and the all metal P8. Initially priced at RM899, we managed to get some time with it revealing what exactly you get in the box asides from the smartphone. While we didn't have the complete set (missing the user manual and warranty card) our unboxing video in this article does give an accurate view of what else you'll find in the Huawei P8 Lite box so do check it out.

Last year, the Huawei Ascend P7 won the European Consumer Smartphone 2014 – 2015 award so it comes as no surprise that the equally beautiful Huawei P8 has won the European Consumer Smartphone 2015 – 2016 award. Considering that the Huawei Ascend P6 also won the same European Consumer Smartphone 2013 – 2014 award means that Huawei have won this category for three times running. EISA were particular impressed by the "improved camera performance and surprisingly high‐end craftsmanship that gives this affordable device a truly sophisticated appearance" that the P8 brings to the market. Tech specs and features like the P8's 5.2-inch full HD IPS-NEO display, f/2 lens and 2680 mAh battery were also highlighted along with its dual-antenna design and light painting low-light camera. We've been equally impressed by the Huawei P8 which you can find out in our Huawei P8 review. Here's what Huawei had to say about the EISA award:

“We are proud to be presented with this award for the third year in a row. We are committed to challenging the industry and revolutionizing how a smart phone is used - the Huawei P8 is the most user-friendly smartphone for consumers globally.” Glory Zhang, Chief Marketing Officer, Consumer Business Group (BG)

Most flagship smartphones these days feature a premium full metal unibody chassis or frame with classy looks and a price tag around at least RM2K or more. They usually come with excellent design, one-of-a-kind features and top-notch tech specs. In terms of features alone, the P8 is no exception with a unique 13MP RGBW rear camera and more. The Huawei P8 aims to deliver all of the above except for the pricing as it is currently available here in Malaysia for just RM1799. Does it actually deliver flagship features, design and performance for a midrange price tag? We find out for sure in our full review of the Huawei P8 below.

The Huawei P8 was officially launched today for the South Pacific Region, which also includes Malaysia. The premium flagship smartphone features an all metal frame with curvy corners and equally premium looks. It takes a step further than than the previous Huawei Ascend P7 and Ascend P6. While Huawei have definitely made the design their own, it is difficult not to draw comparisons with the Apple iPhone 6. However, at 6.4mm the Huawei P8 is both thinner and flatter with no protruding rear camera. Featuring a new RGBW 13MP rear sensor with optical image stabilization, the P8 is sensitive and accurate enough to capture light painting, a clear indication of the low-light capabilities that the P8 offers. The Huawei P8 is due for a Malaysia release date in June with a pre-order bundle coming with [Update] a 30% discount voucher for the TalkBand B2 at just RM1799. Check out the other tech specs and our hands-on of the Huawei P8 below:

• 64-bit 2.0GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 930 processor
• 3GB RAM
• 16GB storage
• 5.2-inch display (full HD, 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution)
• 13MP rear camera (OIS, RGBW sensor, DSLR-level Image Signal Processor, F2.0, dual color temperature flash) + 8MP front camera
• supports dual SIM 4G LTE, GPS, Bluetooth 4.1+LE, WiFi b/g/n
• features wind-suppression anti-noise mic, dual antenna design
• 2680 mAh battery
• 144.9 x 72.1 x 6.4mm | 144g
• Android 5.0 Lollipop + EMUI 3.1

Featuring a straight and curvy metal frame, the Huawei P8 looks beautiful with chamferred edges, a polished metal frame and super thin profile. First impressions are that it is a beautiful smartphone with a very sturdy frame and light design. In the Q&A sessions, Huawei reiterated their passionate stand on creating useful features for consumers with coming smartphones and devices offering value and innovation in conjunction with their 'Wei To' marketing campaign to pioneer new value for consumers. While we may not see any 16MP or 20MP cameras, Huawei are dedicated to creating a DSLR experience with their smartphone cameras, perhaps by creating sensors that will let in more light in the future. This applies to displays as well, as they are also intent on creating more innovations with full HD displays as according to them, quad HD or 2K displays only suck up battery life and bring no value to the consumers. We'll be looking forward to seeing what else this may bring, like perhaps super resolution or interpolated picture modes and even better battery life but for now, Huawei will also be bringing their Huawei P8lite and TalkBand B2 to Malaysia in June 2015. 

The Huawei P series of smartphones are more known for their performance and super thin chassis but the upcoming Huawei P8 could well get a new power saving feature, at least according to Huawei themselves. Huawei recently released a teaser image for the upcoming Huawei P8 which suggests that it could have a new power-saving feature. Considering that the Huawei Ascend P6 and Ascend P7 were both quite thin, it would be safe to assume that the P8 would also be thin and not likely to pack in a large battery. This means the teaser could indicate a more efficient method of extending battery life than before, perhaps even getting 2 days worth of battery life in a single charge. The teaser does not reveal anything else like other tech specs, Malaysia release dates or pricing but many are expecting the Huawei P8 to arrive on 15 April 2015 with an octa-core Kirin 930 processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, 5.2-inch full HD display and 13MP camera with dual LED flash and OIS. Stay tuned for more developments.

The Huawei Honor X2 (or the MediaPad X2 as they call it here in Malaysia) was reportedly leaked this Wednesday. Thanks to the leak, we now know the phone's design, price as well as the specs. The source claims that the phone will come with a metal chassis (picture added above), probably aluminum. The specs will be top notch just like the MediaPad X1. The Honor X2 is said to come with an octa-core Kirin 925 processor with 3GB RAM onboard. There will be a 7-inch display sporting a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. Other tech specs of the device have not yet been revealed but the price tag is expected to be around 1999 Yuan (RM1152). On a related note, the upcoming Huawei P8 flagship is reportedly launching in April this year. It was said earlier that the phone would see the light of the day at MWC 2015. Given that it is the successor to the existing Ascend P7, the device will probably feature high-end tech specs. The phone will sport a Kirin 930 chipset along with 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, 5.2-inch 1080p display and a fingerprint sensor. Huawei could sell the device for an approximate price tag of $483 (RM1739) but there are no Malaysia pricing details or release dates just yet.   

Huawei Malaysia recently launched their 1st exclusive Customer Service Center here in Plaza Berjaya. Located on the first floor of Plaza Berjaya (right next to the monorail bridge), the new Service Center offers a comfortable waiting space complete with free charging station and HDTV. Huawei devices like the Huawei Ascend Mate 7, Ascend P7 and various Huawei accessories for sale are also on display. Regarding plans within Malaysia, Huawei said that they would be increasing the number of Authorized Collection Points from 17 to 100 by the end of the year. Here's what they had to say about it:

"Aftersales service is an integral part of our brand promise. We continuously seek to exceed customers' expectation in this aspect. Another aspect that contributes to customer satisfaction is convenience. With the objective of hassle-free ownership experience, we are aiming to implement door-to-door pick-up and delivery services before the end of the first quarter." Gary Xu, Country Director, Consumer Business Group, Huawei Technologies Malaysia

Huawei recently made several important announcements at CES 2015. One of them was their partnership with the Omlet open social platform, which will be featured on upcoming Huawei devices. Some of the key features coming from this collaboration includes Share-First wich will enable users to take a photo and share it without first unlocking their device. Another feature will be Theme Share, allowing Huawei device owners to share their current customizations with friends. While no exact Malaysia release dates were mentioned the Omlet open social platform should start appearing in Huawei devices later in 2015. 

During the CES 2015 event, Huawei also kicked off their Hilink era which is a strategy to offer fully integrated mobile Internet solutions globally. The solution basically caters to the Internet of Things which through Huawei devices like the Huawei MediaPad X1 and TalkBand B1 allow access to connected smart devices such as an electric fan, sockets, remote control lighting and more. While no major device announcements were made, Huawei showcased all of their recent smartphones and devices including the Huawei Ascend Mate 7, Huawei Honor 6, Huawei Honor 6 Plus, Huawei Ascend P7,Huawei Ascend G7 and more.

Pictures and a release date for the Huawei Ascend P8 smartphone have reportedly appeared. The pictures show the metal frame of the Ascend P8 and from a comparison with the Ascend P7, the P8 looks to be slightly thinner. Considering that the Ascend P7 was already quite thin at 6.5mm we're guessing that the Ascend P8 will probably shave it down to 6.3 or 6.1mm thin. While there are no details on actual tech specs, we expect it to use the latest HiSilicon Kirin processor from Huawei, perhaps the 925 or better and it would be great if they could manage to fit a one-touch fingerprint scanner like on the Huawei Ascend Mate 7. There are still no details on Malaysia release dates but the Ascend P8 is expected to get announced in March 2015 with a probable Malaysia release date happening sometime in June 2015 (about the same time as the Ascend P7).