Huawei Pura X View With Wide 16:9.5 Display Set to Challenge Conventional Smartphone Designs

Huawei has not announced the Pura X View’s price yet. The company opened reservations in China on August 20, while full pricing, specifications and availability are expected to be revealed on August 28. The phone is listed in 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB and 12GB+1TB configurations, with Shadow Red, Linen Grey, Zero White and Phantom Black colour options. There is no confirmed India launch or India price at present.

The biggest talking point is the 6.39-inch OLED display. Unlike most current phones that use tall 19.5:9 or 20:9 panels, the Pura X View uses a much wider 16:9.5 layout. Huawei says its 114.27cm² display area can show more content than some conventional 6.9-inch phones, despite the smaller diagonal measurement. The panel has a 2,232×1,320 resolution, 2,160Hz PWM dimming and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

The 96.1% screen-to-body ratio and four 1.05mm bezels also make the wide format look more like a compact tablet than a normal smartphone. That could make the device particularly interesting for videos, games, reading and apps that benefit from additional horizontal space.

Huawei has paired the unusual screen with an equally unusual hardware combination. The Pura X View packs a 7,000mAh battery into a body measuring just 6.68mm thick and weighing 201 grams. That is arguably the phone’s second major story after its display: Huawei is not simply making a wide phone, but doing so without giving it the bulky feel normally associated with large batteries or foldable-style designs.

The phone will run HarmonyOS 7.0, with Huawei positioning it around video, gaming, reading and everyday productivity.

The Pura X View is more than another large-screen phone. Huawei previously experimented with the same broad-screen idea through the foldable Pura X and Pura X Max. This time, it has removed the hinge completely and placed the wide display inside a conventional body.

That makes the Pura X View an interesting test of whether people actually want the wider viewing area of a foldable without paying for, carrying or maintaining a folding mechanism. Huawei has also kept several important details under wraps, including the complete camera setup, processor and charging specifications. Those details will be important when the company gives the phone its full unveiling on August 28.