Android tablets are a rare sight these days, but when the Huawei MatePad Pro arrived in 2020, we were impressed by its impeccable hardware. Now, it looks likely that the company is about to introduce a successor.
If the name doesn’t give it away, this is Huawei’s take (others might be less kind and use the word ‘copy’) on the iPad Pro.
When will the Huawei MatePad Pro 2 be released?
There’s no confirmed date for the MatePad Pro 2 as yet, but Chinese tech site GizChina originally reported that its sources claimed Huawei would be holding a launch event on 17 April, which was expected to serve the reveal of the long-rumoured Huawei P50, P50 Pro and P50 Pro+ models (with HarmonyOS) but also the MatePad Pro 2.
This initial date has come and gone, but Huawei fans on Weibo are now suggesting a new Huawei showcase will take place on 2 June. While there’s no mention of the P50 series featuring at this event just yet, Huawei is rumoured to be launching both the MatePad 2 and MatePad Pro 2, as well as a new pair of smartwatches: the Huawei Watch 3 and Huawei Watch 3 Pro.
The original Huawei MatePad Pro, reviewed, made its debut in December 2019 in China, finally arriving in the UK in May 2020, so it does make sense that a new version could arrive quite soon.
How much will the Huawei MatePad Pro 2 cost?
There are no rumours surrounding price at the moment. For some idea we can look at the previous model, which launched at with a £549 RRP, although Huawei initially reduced this price with an introductory offer of £499.
Due to the ban imposed by the US government, Huawei doesn’t sell products in that territory, so don’t expect to see the MatePad Pro 2 in Best Buy or on Amazon.com.
What features will we see in the Huawei MatePad Pro 2?
We’ve already seen several different reports outlining some of the components and features that might find their way into the MatePad Pro 2.
GSMArena confirmed that a device appeared on the Chinese 3C site that certifies electronic devices for use and sale in that country. If this turns out to be the MatePad Pro 2 (which seems highly likely) then it will offer 5G LTE and 40W fast charging, plus it’s also expected to support the 27W wireless charging technology that appeared on the original MatePad Pro.
Multiple sites are also predicting that the device will feature a Kirin 9000 SoC (the one used in the Mate 40 Pro) and the possibility of two different screen-size options. GizChina states that Huawei will offer both 12.2in and 12.6in variants, with the latter capable of a 120Hz refresh rate.
These rumours are supported by GoodEReader, TechRadar and GSMarena, although no-one is sure whether the displays will be OLED or not.
Software-wise, the MatePad Pro 2 is expected to run on Huawei’s own PadOS, which is based on the HarmonyOS experience also rolling out to the company’s smartphones.
This is due to the continuing issue of the US trade ban, which precludes Google from doing business with Huawei and means any new MatePad tablets won’t have access to the Google Play Store or Google Services.
So, as with the MatePad Pro, it could be that the tablet features exceptional hardware but lack the apps to take full advantage of that power.