Huawei unveiled just this month its latest flagship smartphone, the Huawei P9, which boasts Leica-branded dual rear cameras. But as it turns out, it was not actually made by the German optics company.
UPDATE (04/21/2016): Huawei has issued an official statement clarifying their collaboration with Leica for the P9 and P9 Plus smartphones. See below:
“The P9 and P9 Plus were co-engineered between Huawei and Leica. This is the first collaboration between the two companies following a long-term partnership that was announced in February. From the very beginning, Leica has been deeply involved in the development of these devices. There has been significant technological collaboration between Huawei and Leica around many aspects of the camera, including optical design, imaging quality, image data processing, optimization, and the mechanical construction of the camera module to the graphic user interface. The devices meet Leica’s highest imaging quality standards.”
Based on the statement above, Leica’s involvement in the development of the Huawei P9 is not limited to software and branding but includes design, quality, optimization, and construction, to name a few.
Original story below published April 20, 2016.
Huawei is tagging the P9, as well as the P9 Plus, as a smartphone co-engineered with Leica, but according to a report from MyDrivers, those cameras were made by Sunny Optical Technology – a company based in China that specializes in camera modules, including array cameras like the one pictured below.
Ubergizmo also said that the P9’s camera module “had simply been certified by Leica, and that the German camera maker had no hand in developing or producing the camera or its optics.” However, Huawei did mention in their website that Leica co-engineered the P9’s Picture Quality Algorithm.
If that’s the case, then we can say that Leica’s participation in the development of the Huawei P9 is mostly on the software side and premium branding.
source: MyDrivers, Ubergizmo, Huawei, Sunny Optical
via: Android Authority
Yes ! Dude I think partnership with Laica will help Huawei to produce a good and qualtiy smart phone . Just like other brands do like Sony & LG ,
Hi, I did my research as well. Huawei’s claim is that it’s a partnership with Leica which I think is a good move. They have to be competitive in terms of technology and partnership would benefit both LHuawei and Leica. Bottomline with good camera its still the consumers who wins, right?
And besides, if its a false claim by Huawei, don’t you think Leica would have made actions to correct this advertisment? :-)
Hmmm, i don’t think Huawei misrepresented in this one. They did say that it was co-engineered with Leica and they didn’t really say that the lenses were solely made by Leica. It’s just a misunderstanding. Besides, Leica cameras and lenses fetch for over $2000 a piece, so I guess mura na rin si P9 for something that’s co-branded with Leica.
I doubt that. Hindi nman ilalagay sa producto ng huawei yan kung hindi talaga totoo. Tska mag bebenta ka ba ng product globally tapos fake?Magcocomplain naman ang leica kung hindi totoo. So lets not judge base on our opinion but base on facts. Peace
Walang basagan ng trip lol
LOL Bandwagoning lang ang yugatech.Didn’t you know na ganito na ang business model ng Leica for YEARS? Karamihan ng digital cameras nila are made by Panasonic, rebranded as Leica. Mga Leica-branded lenses ng Panasonic, sila rin nag-design and manufacture, approved lang ng Leica. This is nothing new and this isn’t a big deal. Worst case scenario, binayaran lang nila yung license ng logo lol.
Haha! Why am I not surprised? And they dare charge 32k for this?! Totally misleading!
La naman silang sinabing manufactured by Leica. Maka-misleading. Yung Zeiss din naman, binili lang yung lens nun pero it’s no guarantee na designed by Zeiss yung lens elements.
chinese talaga mahilig mameke .