Huawei Mate 9 Lite news, update & specs: 5.5-inch display, 12 MP camera, 3,340 mAh battery

Huawei has released another smartphone in addition to the Mate 9 lineup. Dubbed Mate 9 Lite, the device comes after the launch of the Mate 9, Mate 9 Porsche Edition and the Mate 9 Pro. But unlike its siblings, the Mate 9 Lite was announced quietly.

Reports said that the device suddenly appeared on the company's website without any price. However, fans can expect the model to be cheap as it is said to be a slightly watered-down version of the Mate 9. This means that it comes with mid-range specs.

Gadgets 360 detailed that the Mate 9 Lite sports a 5.5-inch display with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution on a 2.5D curved glass. Under the hood, one can find Huawei's Kirin 655, a mid-range chip with eight cores at 2.1 GHz max. There are two variants available. One comes with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB storage while the other one features 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage.

The camera is a downgrade from the original model which came with a 20- and 12-MP dual rear camera setup. The Lite still has the same setup but its sensors are 12 MP and 2 MP. The Leica branding has also been removed. Nonetheless, the 12-MP sensor has a 0.3 second PDAF focus while the secondary camera can capture bokeh shots. In front is an 8-MP camera.

Powering the device is a 3,340 mAh battery while its connectivity options include GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It's also noted to include a proximity sensor, fingerprint sensor, ambient light sensor, acceleration sensor and a compass.

The device also runs on the Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system topped with Huawei's EMUI 4.1. Interested customers can choose from the three color options available which include grey, gold and silver. Details regarding the availability and pricing are still kept under wraps but Huawei is expected to reveal them soon. Stay tuned for more updates on the Mate 9 Lite.