Chinese networking and telecommunications equipment provider Huawei's decision to exit the US market was short lived. After announcing plans to halt sales in the US last December, the company is back on the scene with a new direct-to-consumer retail website.
GetHuawei.com allows US customers to purchase one of the company's newest smartphones, the Ascend Mate2 4G LTE. The hulking 6.1-inch device is offered sans contract for $299 or can be purchased with a plan from Net 10 Wireless.
The handset certainly falls into the phablet category at 6.1 inches but the $299 price point will likely tip you off to the fact that this isn't a high-end device. The screen resolution checks in at a lowly 1,280 x 720 and it's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chip clocked at 1.6GHz alongside 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage.
It may not be a speed demon but there are some noteworthy features, especially given the price. It ships with Android 4.3 out of the box, can connect to speedy LTE networks while out and about and supports 802.11 ac Wi-Fi at home. The 13-megapixel rear-facing camera can record 1080p at up to 30 frames per second while a 5-megapixel front-facing shooter will be more than good enough for selfies.
It's all topped off by a non-removable 3,900mAh battery that's reportedly good for up to 12 hours of web surfing or 60 hours of standard use.
The site also sells accessories including Bluetooth speakers, chargers, external battery packs, cases and headsets.