Huawei Unveils the Pura 80 Series in China, Led by the Innovative Pura 80 Ultra
Huawei has officially launched its highly anticipated Pura 80 flagship series in China, introducing cutting-edge features that set new standards in smartphone photography. At the forefront is the Pura 80 Ultra, boasting a revolutionary “switchable” dual-lens telephoto camera that cleverly shares a single sensor—offering users versatile zoom capabilities with a sleek design.
This innovative camera system features two different lenses—3.7x and 9.4x optical zoom (equivalent to 83mm and 212mm)—housed within the largest of the three rear camera rings. Unlike traditional setups, both lenses are integrated into a shared housing and connected to the same set of periscopic elements and image sensor. A movable prism dynamically directs light to the selected lens, allowing seamless switching between focal lengths. This approach differs from Sony Xperia’s variable telephoto systems, which adjust the lens structure itself.
The Pura 80 Ultra’s dual telephoto lenses provide a wider zoom range than most competitors, offering users more flexibility for capturing distant subjects. The primary telephoto camera features a bright f/2.4 aperture with a 50-megapixel sensor, while the secondary lens, with an f/3.6 aperture, delivers a 12.5-megapixel resolution—suggesting some sensor-cropping or pixel-binning techniques are in play to optimize image quality across zoom levels.
Beyond the impressive telephoto system, the Pura 80 Ultra packs a punch with a 50-megapixel main camera utilizing Huawei’s dynamic aperture technology, a 40-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a stunning 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display. Powering the device is a sizable 5,700mAh battery, complemented by IP68 and IP69 ratings for durability. It features 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, and runs on Huawei’s latest HarmonyOS 5.1—an operating system now independent of Android, reflecting Huawei’s move towards developing its own ecosystem.
While Huawei remains tight-lipped about the chipset inside the Ultra, its high-end specs hint at a powerful performance. The device’s larger sensor size and innovative design potentially enable better image quality and space efficiency, freeing up room for other premium components.
The Pura 80 series also includes three other models: the Pura 80, Pura 80 Pro, and Pura 80 Pro Plus. These phones share a similar sleek design and feature triple rear cameras. The base Pura 80 sports a 6.6-inch LTPO OLED display and a 5,600mAh battery, while the Pro and Pro Plus models match the Ultra’s size and main camera setup but feature single 48-megapixel telephoto lenses. The Pro Plus offers additional RAM and satellite communication support, including connectivity to the Beidou satellite system, enhancing users’ communication options even in remote areas.
All new Pura phones run HarmonyOS 5.1, offering a fresh user experience free from Android dependencies. Pricing starts at CNY 9,999 (approximately $1,390) for the Ultra, with the Pro models beginning at CNY 6,500 (around $900). The standard Pura 80 has yet to be priced or released globally, but last year’s Pura 70 series launched internationally shortly after its Chinese debut—so stay tuned for updates on the global rollout of Huawei’s latest flagship lineup.
