We’re in Shenzhen to experience the Pura 70 Pro, and it seems that Huawei is having a really good start: confirming reports that the Pura 70 Pro series sold out in one minute after going on sale last April 18, we saw the demand for Huawei’s new flagship phone still in demand a week later.

We visited the Huawei Flagship Global Store in Shenzhen, and the staff shared with us that the lines were very long outside the store during the first sales of the Pura 70 Pro and 70 Ultra, signifying that Huawei is making a strong comeback with smartphones despite the sanctions imposed by the US. There’s also a basis for the high demand for the Pura 70 series, as IDC reports Huawei experienced a massive 110% Year-on-Year growth in China from Q1 of 2023 to Q1 of 2024. This resulted in Huawei being the second top phone brand in China next to HONOR.

While we’re using the Pura 70 Pro here in Shenzhen for our initial thoughts, the Pura 70 Pro is a very intriguing model. Aside from having a variable aperture for the main camera, the Pura 70 Ultra utilizes a 1-inch sensor for the main camera and has a retractable lens design that’s meant to keep it as sleek as possible despite having a large sensor inside. This results in the Pura 70 Ultra being less thicker than comparable flagship phones that have a 1-inch sensor.

Aside from upgrades on the main camera, the Pura 70 Ultra also has a 40-megapixel ultra-wide camera, satellite connectivity, and a bigger 5200mAh battery.