Huawei Nova 2 now official, Apple-inspired camera setup in tow

The Huawei Nova has a lot going for it (a capable camera, power-sipping chipset) but, truth be told, it’s been available globally since last year. Still, barely nine months after the device was revealed at IFA, we’ve got a sequel in the form of the Huawei Nova 2 and Nova 2 Plus.

And the most noteworthy feature in the range might just be the dual-camera setup, featuring a 12MP f/1.8 shooter (1.25 micron pixels) and an iPhone 7 Plus-style 8MP telephoto camera. The Chinese brand adds that refocusing after the shot is still present, as well as a “3D dynamic panorama” function.

Otherwise, selfie enthusiasts will be pleased with the inclusion of a 20MP front-facing camera (complete with software-enabled Portrait effect). Just in case you want your pores on full display for Instagram followers.

As for the rest of the Nova 2 spec sheet, you’re looking at a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, Kirin 659 chipset (two clusters of four A53 cores), 4GB of RAM, 5-inch full HD screen, 2950mAh battery and 64GB of expandable storage. Meanwhile, the Plus-sized variant differs by having a 5.5-inch full HD screen, 3340mAh battery and 128GB of expandable storage.

In a rather weird regression, the move to the Kirin 659 instead of the previous phone’s Snapdragon 625 means that the phones lose the ability to record in 4K quality.

In terms of aesthetics, the Nova 2 range brings to mind the iPhone again, if only for the antenna lines on the back.

The Nova 2 has a price of RMB2499 (R4780 as an ill-advised straight conversion), while the Nova 2 Plus has a RMB2899 (R5544) price tag.