Huawei Ascend Mate 2 review

Huawei is going direct-to-consumer in the U.S. with its giant-screened and $299 unlocked device

Despite the fact that Huawei is the third-largest phone maker worldwide (behind Apple and Samsung), few people in the U.S. really have much of an idea that it even makes phones. Huawei is a name that has creeped into the public's minds over the past few years, with research (from Huawei itself) showing that 22 percent of Americans are now aware of the brand (whether or not they can pronounce it), up from a mere 9 percent in 2012. That comes with a relatively small push in marketing for consumer-facing Huawei products, as the company continues to spend the largest amount of advertising money in China and Europe where it already has a foothold in selling own-branded devices.

But that makes sense when you consider that until this point Huawei has mainly sold devices in the U.S. under other brand names as an ODM, only recently stepping into selling Huawei-branded devices in the lowest end, primarily on prepaid carriers. The company's plan is for that to change, with a distinct move towards making Huawei a powerful brand that can drive phone and tablet sales all on its own. The Ascend Mate 2 is the first device Huawei is giving an honest shot in the U.S. by selling it directly to consumers, jumpstarting what will undoubtedly be a long-term play in this market.

But in 2014 the Huawei brand isn't enough to sell a phone, leaving the Ascend Mate 2 to lean on features to get people looking. Going right down the list of what Huawei has found consumers want, they're all here — a large screen, LTE data, freedom of carrier choice, a solid camera, huge battery and exceptional price. The Ascend Mate 2 isn't going to blow your socks off, but it sure checks all of those boxes — read along and see if Huawei has a fighting chance selling an unlocked phone in the U.S. today.

source: androidcentral