First Force Touch device - Huawei Mate S

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kaerflog

Golden Member
Jul 23, 2010
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That is probably one of the most beautiful phone out there right now, right up there with the Note 5.
The problem with it is the Kirin 935 soc. Its on par with a snapdragon 801 which is on a Galaxy s5 right now.
The speed is still OK but the 2nd problem is the pricing. The 32gb version cost 650 euros and the force touch version will be more.
For that pricing, I would take the Note 5 hands down.
 
Commodus

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
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It looks promising, although Huawei isn't exactly shy about 'borrowing' hardware and software ideas from other manufacturers, especially the pressure-sensitive screen and metal back. Heck, at IFA the company was more than a little eager to compare the Mate S to the iPhone 6 Plus. I don't mind it that much -- I'm just not looking forward to a couple of years from now, when the revisionist history types act as if Apple copied Huawei's technology. (Remember how people fudged the timelines for the LG Prada and Samsung F700?)
 
KeithP

KeithP

Diamond Member
Jun 15, 2000
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First? Maybe first to announce the feature but it doesn't seem likely to be first to be available to consumers if the Apple rumors are true. The Mate S with force touch won't be available until sometime in 2016.

-KeithP
 
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antihelten

Golden Member
Feb 2, 2012
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KeithP said:
First? Maybe first to announce the feature but it doesn't seem likely to be first to be available to consumers if the Apple rumors are true. The Mate S with force touch won't be available until sometime in 2016.

-KeithP
Click to expand...

Sometime in 2016? It's launching later this month.
 
D

dawheat

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2000
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kaerflog said:
That is probably one of the most beautiful phone out there right now, right up there with the Note 5.
The problem with it is the Kirin 935 soc. Its on par with a snapdragon 801 which is on a Galaxy s5 right now.
The speed is still OK but the 2nd problem is the pricing. The 32gb version cost 650 euros and the force touch version will be more.
For that pricing, I would take the Note 5 hands down.
Click to expand...

650 euros - are they kidding themselves? What exactly justifies that price? A 1080p screen, a subpar SOC, 32GB storage (is it even UFS?), and camera that while better almost definitely doesn't match up with the best ones today. Does it have wireless charging built in?

The build looks pretty good but everyone has it now - though I find the front a bit dull.

This looks like a well built, upper mid range phone to compete against the OP2, Moto X Style, and so on. Not a true 6S Plus or Note 5 flagship competitor.
 
K

kaerflog

Golden Member
Jul 23, 2010
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dawheat said:
650 euros - are they kidding themselves? What exactly justifies that price? A 1080p screen, a subpar SOC, 32GB storage (is it even UFS?), and camera that while better almost definitely doesn't match up with the best ones today. Does it have wireless charging built in?

The build looks pretty good but everyone has it now - though I find the front a bit dull.

This looks like a well built, upper mid range phone to compete against the OP2, Moto X Style, and so on. Not a true 6S Plus or Note 5 flagship competitor.
Click to expand...

Huawei has the same delusion as HTC.
I don't care how nice and premium you make your phone, you can't price them at Samsung and Apple level.
Motorola has the best idea of anyone. Making the quality phone and price it at $400.
Lets say even if Huawei priced this phone at $500 in the USA. Who's going to buy this over Samsung S6 when they are priced at $500(at T-mobile anyway).
I love some of the recent phones Huawei have come up with but their biggest weakness is their own SOC(which can't compete) and the pricing for their premium line.
 
Charmonium

Charmonium

Lifer
May 15, 2015
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Does anyone really care if you can weigh and orange or invoke apps with your knuckles? I don't think these are the sort of gimmicks that will sell phones.
 
KeithP

KeithP

Diamond Member
Jun 15, 2000
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antihelten said:
Sometime in 2016? It's launching later this month.
Click to expand...

That launch is for models without force touch. "Officially" Huawei has yet to state what markets the force touch model will be available in and when. From what I have read it won't be in the US and wherever it shows up, it won't be until 2016.

-KeithP
 
Midwayman

Midwayman

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2000
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Charmonium said:
Does anyone really care if you can weigh and orange or invoke apps with your knuckles? I don't think these are the sort of gimmicks that will sell phones.
Click to expand...

I have to wonder if it means pressure sensitive stylus without the electronics. That would be awesome.
 
Commodus

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
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Ouch... I'd heard that the pressure-sensitive model wasn't going to be available right away, but 2016? If so, Huawei really is just announcing it in a vain attempt to say "first!" and pretend that it beat Apple to the technology in a phone.

I'm willing to give Huawei the benefit of the doubt for the performance and overall experience, but when it comes to pressure tech... as the saying goes, "real artists ship."
 
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luv2liv

luv2liv

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Dec 27, 2001
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no app drawer according to gizmodo early review. ouch.
i cant stand apps all over the screen. just as annoying as seeing icons all over people's desktops
 
Commodus

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
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luv2liv said:
no app drawer according to gizmodo early review. ouch.
i cant stand apps all over the screen. just as annoying as seeing icons all over people's desktops
Click to expand...

That's been true of Huawei devices for a while (I used the original Ascend Mate in 2013 and noticed that). While there are plenty of reasonably original hardware designs in China, the major vendors have an odd obsession with copying Apple's software -- Huawei, Lenovo and Xiaomi all have at least some obviously iOS-influenced elements.

I don't mind iOS' grid of icons, but there's not much reason to imitate it. You get the impression that these vendors are so convinced that the iPhone is the gold standard that they're afraid to let Android be Android.
 
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Strk

Lifer
Nov 23, 2003
10,197
4
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luv2liv said:
no app drawer according to gizmodo early review. ouch.
i cant stand apps all over the screen. just as annoying as seeing icons all over people's desktops
Click to expand...

For some reason, Chinese companies seem to remove it. Maybe thing figure if it's not on an iphone, it shouldn't be on their phone. I think Oneplus and Oppo are the only two that include it.
 
lopri

lopri

Elite Member
Jul 27, 2002
13,310
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I am unsure of the utility of "Force Touch." My impression has been that people usually do not like input actions that require precision in every day use. Samsung's old swipe method for fingerprint authentication is a prime example.

How was "Force Touch" on Apple Watch received by consumers and developers?
 
Commodus

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
9,215
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lopri said:
I am unsure of the utility of "Force Touch." My impression has been that people usually do not like input actions that require precision in every day use. Samsung's old swipe method for fingerprint authentication is a prime example.

How was "Force Touch" on Apple Watch received by consumers and developers?
Click to expand...

It's mixed, but I'd generally say positive. It's a way of adding useful features (changing your watch face, app contextual menus) without cluttering up the tiny screen space of a watch. The main concern is that the functionality isn't immediately obvious -- you have to be told that the feature is there.

On a phone, it's hard to say. I wouldn't base expectations based solely on what Huawei is doing, since Apple may approach Force Touch differently. That and Huawei isn't always the best at determining what constitutes a useful feature (see: the Mate S' knuckle gestures).
 
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slackerinabox

Lifer
Mar 15, 2003
12,668
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I'm curious, if force touch is not baked into the o.s. (and we're relying on chinese software guys), how good can it be?
 
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