After a few months of silence since Mobile World Congress in February, Huawei on Friday launched its first 4G LTE smartphone in the US, the Activa 4G.
The latest Huawei smartphone will run on the MetroPCS for $149 after a $50 main-in rebate.
"We are honored to bring our first 4G LTE device to U.S. audiences with the support of MetroPCS' powerful and expansive network," Michael Chuang, executive vice president of Huawei Device USA, said in a statement. "MetroPCS is committed to providing customers with advanced, flexible and affordable smartphone options through its no-annual contract services, and is the ideal partner for Huawei's entrance into a new era for smartphones and handsets."
The new Activa 4G boasts of a 3.54-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen with 480x320 pixels, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) OS, 800-MHZ Qualcomm MSM7627T processor and 5.0 megapixel camera and a front VGA camera and, as the name suggests, the phone supports LTE connectivity, too.
The Huawei device comes with a 4GB microSD card pre-loaded with the movie Kung Fu Panda 2. The memory can be extended up to 32GB.
Meanwhile, as per the CNET review, the phone has three major drawbacks. The phone might not receive Android 4.0 upgrade, has a sluggish 800MHZ Qualcomm MSM7627T processor, and not-so-impressive battery life that juices in just 4 hours of talk time.
Activa 4G is available now in MetroPCS stores and online.
Check out the press release of Huawei Active 4G below:
MetroPCS Introduces Latest 4GLTE Smartphone and Huawei's First in the U.S with the Huawei ActivaTM 4G
DALLAS - June 08, 2012 - MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (NYSE: PCS) and Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, are making 4G LTE service available to all MetroPCS customers with the introduction of the ActivaTM 4G smartphone. The Activa 4G is the latest smartphone in MetroPCS' growing 4G LTE line-up and is Huawei's first 4G LTE handset in the United States.
"MetroPCS is committed to bringing 4G LTE handsets to consumers with a range of price points and features to ensure that 4G LTE is available to everyone and offers the experience that is right for them," said Tom Keys, president and chief operating officer of MetroPCS. "The addition of Huawei as a new 4G LTE handset provider is a great step for us as we continue to expand our portfolio of affordable, feature-rich 4G LTE devices at an exceptional value."
The Huawei Activa 4G is a 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen smartphone powered by the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system and equipped with a 5.0 megapixel camera with single LED flash and front-facing VGA camera. The 4G LTE device is powered by GCT's GDM7240 single-chip 4G LTE solution.
"We are honored to bring our first 4G LTE device to U.S. audiences with the support of MetroPCS' powerful and expansive network," said Michael Chuang, executive vice president of Huawei Device USA. "MetroPCS is committed to providing customers with advanced, flexible and affordable smartphone options through its no-annual contract services, and is the ideal partner for Huawei's entrance into a new era for smartphones and handsets."
The Huawei Activa 4G is available in stores and online for $149, plus tax, following mail-in and instant rebate, for a limited time.
Now the bad news: The device will not be eligible for an upgrade to the latest version of Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, according to CNET. It also has a slower, 800-MHZ Qualcomm MSM7627T processor and low expected battery life, offering just four hours of talk time.
Tom Keys, president and chief operating officer of MetroPCS, said in a statement that "MetroPCS is committed to bringing 4G LTE handsets to consumers with a range of price points and features to ensure that 4G LTE is available to everyone and offers the experience that is right for them."
"The addition of Huawei as a new 4G LTE handset provider is a great step for us as we continue to expand our portfolio of affordable, feature-rich 4G LTE devices at an exceptional value," he added.
