Huawei Mate 70 Air Launch Imminent, Leaks Suggest

Following Apple’s recent introduction of the iPhone Air, Huawei is reportedly preparing its own ultra-thin smartphone: the Huawei Mate 70 Air. The device has been spotted on China Telecom’s website, and recent leaks indicate an imminent launch.

According to Weibo blogger Fixed Focus Digital, the Mate 70 Air is expected to be officially released later this month, boasting a body thickness of 6.x mm. Another tipster, Panda is very bald, claims a launch date of October 29, this Tuesday. Huawei will reportedly ship the Mate 70 Air exclusively with physical SIM support, foregoing eSIM functionality. This contrasts with Apple’s iPhone Air, which is eSIM-only, a feature that has reportedly caused difficulties for some users in China.

eSIM adoption remains limited in the region. Data from Taiwan indicates eSIM penetration is below 1%, due to factors including low consumer awareness and the requirement for in-person activation with carrier fees. Huawei appears to be responding to this market demand.

The Mate 70 Air is reportedly equipped with a 6.9-inch display featuring an 18.8:9 aspect ratio. Camera specifications include a 1/1.3-inch main sensor and a “red maple” lens within Huawei’s XMAGE camera module. It will be available in configurations of 12GB RAM with 256GB or 512GB of storage, and will run HarmonyOS 5.

Huawei has a history of producing ultra-thin smartphones, beginning with the Ascend P1 S in 2012 (6.68mm). Subsequent models like the P6 (6.2mm) and P7 (6.5mm) continued this trend before the P20 series increased thickness to 7mm.