What happens when a smartphone manufacturer joins forces with a design specialist? A mobile phone with style chops and technical prowess is born
When I first heard news of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei collaborating with Porsche Design, which is known for its sleek design, I was piqued for a few reasons.
First, the mobile phones that Huawei churns out are generally quite well-designed aesthetically—the lines are strong, the silhouette is slim and it is generally clad in the fail-proof shade of black. What more can Porsche Design do? It is after all a mobile phone. Go overboard with its design, and consumers will scream blue murder. But if it's minimal tweaks, the masses will say it's underwhelming. Plus, Porsche Design's aesthetics tend to be ultra-sleek and pushes normal design conventions to a slightly more industrial look. Will the collaboration work, I wonder?
Then, I got my hands on the Huawei Porsche Design Mate RS and all doubts were quashed—and even more so after I watched the video below.
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Inspired by the Porsche RS, it is as sleek and premium-looking as I imagined it to be. Unlike the P20 Pro that this phone is modelled after, it boasts a notch-less front display and sexy curved edges, which adds to its sophistication level and differentiates it from the rest of the competition. With a higher pixed density than that of the P20 Pro, looking at visuals on the Mate RS is an even more enjoyable experience. Of course, there is the subtle Porsche Design branding on the front too.