The IT Nerd

Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) today announced the Canadian launch of HUAWEI WATCH GT 4, the latest generation of the WATCH GT flagship series that introduces elevated design features with powerful health and fitness functionalities. Part of Huawei’s ‘Fashion Forward’ wearable technology, the smartwatch blends technology and fashion while empowering users to personalize their health and sports journey without compromising style. The HUAWEI WATCH GT 4 is available in a striking Octagon bezel design or the elegant Pendant design.

Classics Evolved: Traditional Craftsmanship Meets Modern Trends 

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 4 introduces inventive design elements while retaining the modern geometric aesthetics Canadians expect from Huawei. The watch is available in two designs – the HUAWEI WATCH GT 4 46mm showcases an octagonal design, while the HUAWEI WATCH GT 4 41mm boasts a sleek pendant design.

There are six different colour options:

• The classic 46mm comes in three options – a black fluoroelastomer strap, grey stainless steel strap, and a green composite strap
• The sophisticated 41mm option includes the black fluoroelastomer strap, a jewelry-inspired light gold milanese strap, and a white leather strap option

Canadians can discover their preferred style, customize the watch dial to align with their lifestyle, and further explore options within the online gallery, featuring over 25,000 watch faces.

Taking Active Health Management to the Next Level

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 4 makes smart technology an integral part of healthy living. Three new major features include:

• PPG Arrhythmia Analysis: Monitoring technology incorporating multi-channel signal enhancement algorithms providing users more accurate readings of their heart health even during dynamic activities or low temperature environments.
• Menstrual Cycle Management 3.0: Intelligently analyzes and learns physiological indicators, such as heart rate during sleep, body temperature, breathing rate, and more, to predict menstrual periods. 
• TruSleep™ 3.0: Gives users a better awareness of their sleep cycles.and assists them in adjusting their sleep habits, including Sleep Breathing Awareness which scans for breathing irregularities during sleep, giving users additional insight to their respiratory health during sleep. 

New Fitness Features 

Bolstered by the new TruSeenTM 5.5+ technology, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 4 revolutionizes the smartwatch fitness experience by introducing improved: 

• Activity Rings Feature: Provides a quick overview of daily fitness statistics, including calories burned, exercise duration, and standing activity. Users can earn medals for completing all three rings and choose from over 100 sports modes for a more active lifestyle.
• Stay Fit Caloric Management App: A caloric management app that utilizes real-time health data to offer holistic recommendations for better health management.
• Dual-Band High-Precision GPS: An upgraded dual-band five-system high-precision GPS, increasing positioning accuracy by 30%, even in densely structured urban areas, ideal for expeditions and running challenges.

A Convenient and Intelligent Lifestyle Companion Right at Your Wrist 

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 4 enhances user convenience and lifestyle with added features, including a new launcher, quick messaging and replies, as well as support for third-party applications for music, navigation, and more. The smartwatch offers an impressive battery life of up to 2 weeks. 

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 4 seamlessly integrates with both iOS and Android devices, providing users with access to all these exciting features while ensuring the protection of privacy and data, offering peace of mind when accessing industry-leading technologies.

Availability 

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 4 is now available for purchase in Canada at Amazon.ca and Best Buy. Suggested retail price for the 46mm model is $438.99 and $328.99 for the 41mm model. For more details, please refer to Huawei’s official website. 

Customer Benefits on HUAWEI Official Store and My HUAWEI App
HUAWEI WATCH GT 4 series is now available at HUAWEI Official Store and My HUAWEI App with an exclusive free gift of FreeBuds 3 (free gift is subject to change due to availability). 

Just in time for holiday shopping, Huawei Canada is introducing limited-time Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on its most popular devices. Beginning November 18 until December 1, Canadian tech lovers can take advantage of the best of technology, luxury and innovation with these incredible deals.

Smartwatches

The unforgettable HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro Ceramic smartwatch marries the best of luxury watch design and technology. The sapphire glass and a ceramic body house all the advanced features of a Huawei smartwatch including cycle tracking, a battery life up to 14 days, personalized to the user with hundreds of customizable watch faces and health tracking, beautifully keeping up with your lifestyle. Perfect for the person in your life who appreciates both fashion and function, the Watch GT 3 Pro Ceramic is now $698.99 ($100 savings). 

The sophisticated HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Elite smartwatch, available in 46mm, is a powerful, modern smartwatch. With over 100 sport modes, this smartwatch will help you achieve your desired fitness goals through the AI trainer. The 3D curved glass, high-gloss finish and refined strap come together to create the perfect accessory for every occasion and the 14-day battery life means you’ll never have to slow down. Now $298.99 ($130 savings). 

Laptops

The sleek and powerful  HUAWEI MateBook 14 has a 14-inch screen, 3:2 aspect ratio and runs on 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 Processor. The modern body, thanks to the dark grey aluminum frame, is designed for on-the-go while never slowing you down. This is the perfect laptop for the person always working from away and is now $500 off ($1,198.99). 

The HUAWEI MateBook D15, boasts a 15.6 inch screen, USB-A and USB-C ports, housed in an ultra-light body and is powered by 10th generation Intel® Core™ i5-10210U processor designed to accelerate and enhance performance. Level-up your performance, the 16.9mm thin, 1.53kg computer offers a speedy and satisfying notebook performance. Now $898.99 ($200 savings). 

Monitors

The immersive HUAWEI MateView GT 34 gaming monitor brings new levels to your gaming by enveloping your senses. The stunning visuals powered by HDR10 technology, with a 3440 x 1440 pixel resolution, and SoundBard dual speaker with built-in smart dual-mic system will help any gamer level up. Now $598.99 ($150 savings). 

The HUAWEI MateView 4K display with real-to-life colour delivers striking visuals on a 28.2-inch screen while the intuitive Smart Bar keeps everything at your fingertips. Powerfully integrating minimalist design with state-of-the-art technology, the monitor adapts beautifully to any workspace – perfect for updating your home office. Now $748.99 ($150 savings).

Headphones

The powerful HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2, co-engineered with Devialet, earbuds offer high end style and high end sound. Constantly bringing optimal sound to the user, the earbuds never let your surroundings get in the way of your music, calls or streaming by using a bone conduction microphone and smart technology to filter out daily noise for up to 30 hours (with case charging). With a long battery life and sleek design, the earbuds are perfect for the person always listening. $228.99 ($40 savings). 

The small but mighty  HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i earbuds fit cozily in your ears for long periods of comfortable listening, up to 22 hours (with case charging). Using sensors, the earbuds detect and reduce ambient noise automatically so the wearer is never interrupted. The perfect earbuds for sensitive ears. Now $88.99 ($50 savings) 

The deals will be available at Best Buy, Costco, Canada Computers and more, as well as the Huawei Amazon storefront. 

For more details, refer to the schedule below or visit our website. Offers are available while quantities last at selected carriers and retailers. Offers can change without prior notice and are subject to retailers’ SKU setup and terms and conditions.

Product	Sale Period	Original	Promo	Save
HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro Ceramic	Nov 18 – Dec 1	$798.99	$698.99	$100.00
HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Elite	Nov 18 – Dec 1	$428.99	$298.99	$130.00
HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2	Nov 18 – Dec 1	$268.99	$228.99	$40.00
HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i	Nov 18 – Dec 1	$138.99	$88.99	$50.00
HUAWEI MateView	Nov 18 – Dec 1	$898.99	$748.99	$150.00
HUAWEI MateView GT 34	Nov 18 – Dec 1	$748.99	$598.99	$150.00
HUAWEI MateBook 14	Nov 18 – Dec 1	$1,698.99	$1,198.99	$500.00
HUAWEI MateBook D15	Nov 4 – Dec 1	$1,098.99	$898.99	$200.00

Huawei Consumer Business Group today received an award from the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) for its latest smartwatch device, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro. Composed of over 60 of the most respected international specialist consumer electronics magazines, websites, and journalists, EISA named the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro its ‘Best Smartwatch Product for 2022-2023’, based on the independent technical reviews of its members. Huawei has been awarded this category for the third consecutive year. The award comes in the wake of several other publication awards for the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro, which has also won prestigious industry awards from the likes of Android Headlines, Tech Advisor, and PhoneArena.

In the judges’ comments, EISA referred to the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro as ‘Huawei’s most polished and perfected smartwatch to date,’ praising its ‘classic’ and ‘luxurious design’ which comprises a ‘titanium casing, ceramic back and sapphire glass face’ as well as Huawei’s ‘crisp’ and ‘colourful AMOLED display.’ Its ‘advanced operation system’ and ‘plethora of applications and features’ were also marked out for praise, including its blood oxygen level monitoring, stress testing, water resistance, and ‘exceptional’ battery life.

The latest instalment in Huawei’s highly popular HUAWEI WATCH GT Series, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro is a flagship smartwatch which aims to marry exquisite craftsmanship with high-end aesthetics, allowing users to take their health and fitness to the next level, or even down to completely uncharted waters thanks to its 5ATM and 30 meters diving waterproof. Sporting a premium, Neocrystalline look in either the Titanium or Ceramic colourway options, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro is the ultimate workout companion which further illustrates the benefits of Huawei’s Seamless AI life and 1+8+N strategy. 

Featuring a more robust battery life, and a 30 percent faster charging time than the last generation, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro also offers a host of specialist tracking features which can help users improve their daily lifestyle habits. This ranges from the device’s 100 plus workout modes to its Smart Heart Rate Monitoring and HUAWEI TruSleep 2.0 sleep tracker. In line with the Huawei Seamless AI life’s philosophy of connectivity, users can also pair the HUAWEI WATCH GT3 Pro with other smart devices, including additional Huawei products, as well as iOS and Android phones.

Comprising expert media across the full spectrum of consumer electronics from over 30 countries, EISA is divided up into six Expert Groups, which include mobile devices, Hi-Fi, home theatre audio, and in-car electronics. Every year, EISA members nominate a list of products that they consider the standout performers in each of these Expert Groups. These nominations are then presented at EISA’s AGM, where members conduct an in-depth deliberation before voting for the winner of each category. This prestigious award from EISA adds to a long and illustrious list of product awards that the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro has recently received. 

Named also as the Editor’s Choice by Android Headlines, PhoneArena, and Tech Advisor, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro has been consistently marked out for its premium look and extensive features collection. In its review, Android Headlines called the device a ‘compelling offering’ with ‘much-improved software,’ an ‘excellent display’ and ‘top-notch build quality.’ PhoneArena, meanwhile, singled out the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro for its HarmonyOS Bluetooth offering, its Free Diving mode, and its wireless charging facilities. Describing the device as a ‘stand out in the wearable space’, Tech Advisor similarly praised the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro for its ‘attractive, premium design’ and its ‘rich’ and ‘varied’ ‘first-party functionality’. 

Today, Huawei presented its key strategic areas of focus during this challenging time and announced new, cutting-edge products including 16-inch laptops MateBook D 16 & 16s and the latest addition to the audio family of devices, the FreeBuds Pro 2. Huawei also launched the lightest foldable smartphone Mate Xs 2. 

HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2: World’s first Hi-Res Dual Sound System TWS

In the Audio category, Huawei has launched a device that will please all fans of crystal-clear music and voice – FreeBuds Pro 2. The new earbuds stand out with exquisite sound quality achieved thanks to their Dual Sound System. Adopting the integrated two digital-to-analogue converters (DAC) chips and a quad-magnet dynamic driver with advanced digital frequency crossover technology, allowing the device to distinguish between high and low frequencies, coupled with LDAC High-Resolution codec, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 bring the purest sound quality in the industry. Equipped with the industry’s first Triple MIC ANC TWS system that is able to provide 15%  more noise reduction capabilities as compared to the previous model. In certain scenarios, a maximum of 47dB noise reduction depth can be achieved. HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 is also equipped with three dynamic audio listening optimization algorithms which are able to detect changes in volume, differences in ear canal structure and changes in wearing status in real-time. The new earbuds also support Huawei’s All-Scenario Seamless AI Life approach thanks to easy connectivity with any smartphone operating system and great usability in all daily scenarios.

HUAWEI Mate Xs 2: Huawei’s lightest and flattest foldable smartphone

The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is Huawei’s brand-new flagship foldable smartphone with outward folding design and ultra-light, ultra-slim body, marks a milestone in the Huawei’s history, as of this premiere the company owns the most complete portfolio of foldable smartphones, including models with an inner and outer display, and flip phones. When unfolded, the Mate Xs 2’s screen becomes as flat and smooth as a mirror, bringing users a more immersive foldable experience, perfect for both entertainment and work. The smartphone is also equipped with other flagship features, such as a 50MP True-Chroma Camera that supports HUAWEI XD Optics, taking mobile photography to new heights. The new device also dispels the concerns about the unreliable battery in foldable smartphones, boasting a 4600mAh battery, with 66W HUAWEI SuperCharge for ultra-fast charging on the go.

HUAWEI Matebook D 16 & 16s: 16-inch laptop with a traditional 15.6-inch body size for work, study and play

Those of us who work remotely, but miss the traditional office setup with a large monitor, will be pleasantly surprised by the latest additions to Huawei’s laptop portfolio. The company has noticed the consumers’ need for more workspace on their screens, combined with a post-pandemic desire for more flexibility at work, and launched a new product line with a 16-inch FullView display. The HUAWEI MateBook D16 and 16s feature a 16-inch vast display that offers ample space for work and makes managing many tasks at once easy. The MateBook lineup is powered by the 12th Gen Intel® Core™ H- Series Processor with TDP of up to 40W, dual channel RAM and a high-speed solid-state drive, which handles multitasking and complex usage scenarios flawlessly and efficiently, such as data analysis, code compilation, opening multiple webpages, charts, or PowerPoints, allowing users to view content more easily on a larger and taller display area, without the need to compromise on other aspects such as high performance. Moreover, with the D 16 & 16s models, Huawei makes seamless cross-device experiences even more streamlined with multi-device file management and AI search to further enable device collaboration and allow easy file transmission between PC, smartphone, and tablet, breaking the barriers of data sharing between devices. What’s more, users can be productive on the move thanks to the HUAWEI MateBook D 16 & 16s high portability thanks to their light metallic body of weight similar to traditional 15.6-inch laptops.

Availability

HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 and Selected MateBook 16” laptops will be available in Canada soon.

HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is not available in Canada. 

From the “stay out of the US” department comes news that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday has announced visa restrictions on employees of Chinese technology companies, including Huawei, in the latest Trump administration move against Beijing. Here’s what CNN had to say:

The US “will impose visa restrictions on certain employees … of Chinese technology companies like Huawei that provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights violations and abuses globally,” Pompeo told reporters at a State Department press briefing. The top US did not elaborate on which employees would be targeted or how many people would be affected. Pompeo’s announcement comes a day after President Donald Trump announced he would sign a bill and an executive order punishing China for steps that are widely seen as an attempt to crush democratic freedoms in Hong Kong, and railed at China for “unleashing … upon the world” the global coronavirus pandemic. In an interview with The Hill later Wednesday, Pompeo added that the US is looking at limits on other Chinese tech companies as well.

This is likely retaliation for the Chinese government banning a bunch of US Senators because they were critical of China. Clearly things between the US and China are escalating. And I think it’s safe to say that we’re going to see a lot more of this over the next few days.

From the “I didn’t see this coming” department comes this Forbes story that describes how out of favor Chinese telco gear maker Huawei is using the US patent system to fight back against US attempts to freeze it out of the country:

Putting Huawei on the Entity List may have stopped it from licensing critical US technology, but Huawei is seeking to earn revenue in other ways. Huawei filed patent infringement claims against Verizon and also for products Verizon acquires from other US companies such as Cisco and Hewlett-Packard; and Huawei is demanding royalty payments for hundreds of patents. Huawei’s patents may not even be practiced in the firms’ products, but Huawei is allowed to use the legal process to compel court discovery on Verizon’s and its suppliers’ confidential information. Huawei may illegally use this data to enrich Huawei’s knowledge of competitors’ products and technology. 

Well, that’s pretty crafty and it is certain that the White House had not considered this possibility. You have to wonder what’s next from Huawei seeing as the metaphorical noose is tightening around it at the moment.

Earlier this year, the UK had allowed beleaguered Chinese telco maker Huawei into a portion of their 5G network. This seriously ticked off the US and made the UK do a rethink.

Well the rethink is done and Huawei is out…. In more ways than one. Here’s the details from the BBC:

The UK’s mobile providers are being banned from buying new Huawei 5G equipment after 31 December, and they must also remove all the Chinese firm’s 5G kit from their networks by 2027.

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden told the House of Commons of the decision.

It follows sanctions imposed by Washington, which claims the firm poses a national security threat – something Huawei denies.

Mr Dowden said the move would delay the country’s 5G rollout by a year.

“This has not been an easy decision, but it is the right one for the UK telecoms networks, for our national security and our economy, both now and indeed in the long run,” he said.

Because the US sanctions only affect future equipment, the government does not believe there is a security justification for removing 2G, 3G and 4G equipment supplied by Huawei.

New restrictions are also being applied to use of the company’s broadband kit.

The government wants operators to “transition away” from purchasing new Huawei equipment for use in the full-fibre network.

Mr Dowden said he expected this to happen within two years.

So let’s recap:

1. UK telcos aren’t allowed to buy Huawei gear.
2. UK telcos have to rip out existing Huawei gear.
3. UK broadband providers can’t use their gear.

UK telcos are warning that bad things could happen to customers:

BT and Vodafone had warned that customers could face mobile blackouts if they were forced to remove all of Huawei’s 5G kit in less time.

Somehow, I suspect if the UK government is breathing down their necks, UK telcos will get this gear out without any disruptions.

Now Huawei isn’t happy about this according to CNBC:

Tuesday’s decision is a significant blow to Huawei, which had been ramping up its investment into the U.K. with a new research and development center in Cambridge, England, and a push for developers at the start of the year to help it build an alternative to Google’s Play app store. Huawei was cut off from licensed Google software last year due to U.S. trade measures.

“This disappointing decision is bad news for anyone in the U.K. with a mobile phone,” Ed Brewster, a spokesperson for Huawei U.K., told CNBC. “It threatens to move Britain into the digital slow lane, push up bills and deepen the digital divide.”

Huawei urged the government to reconsider the move, adding it was “confident” the new U.S. restrictions “would not have affected the resilience or security of the products we supply.” The firm “will conduct a detailed review” of what the decision means for its business in the country, said Brewster.

And China to nobody’s surprise is not happy to say the least:

Huawei denies it has ever been asked to engage in any spying on behalf of the Chinese state, while Beijing itself says Johnson’s decision will be an acid test of the Sino-British relationship that had developed under David Cameron.

I think that’s code that China will hit back in some way. Given that the China/UK relationship is under stress because of the new security law in Hong Kong, I suspect that this will escalate tensions between the two countries.

There’s a secondary question. Now that the UK has punted Huawei from their 5G network, is Canada next? Canada has avoided making a decision on Huawei, even though the big three telcos in Canada have committed to not buying their gear. While it is true that the are other factors at play here including the detention of Meng Wanzhou who is the Huawei CFO by Canada, and the retaliation of China by essentially holding two Canadians hostage, there’s one fact that can’t be ignored. Canada is part of the “Five Eyes” intelligence network. And Canada is the only member of this network that hasn’t banned Huawei. I would expect that pressure on Canada is about to ramp up. And Canada will have to make a decision on Huawei sooner rather than later.

US Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo paid a visit to London today. And according to The Guardian he had this message for the UK:

The depth of American opposition to the UK granting the Chinese telecoms firm Huawei access to its 5G network has been underlined as the US secretary of state said the Chinese Communist party represented the central threat of our times, and had front-door access to Huawei systems.

He said the US would try to work through its differences with the UK decision announced this week but stressed the US would never permit its national security information to go across networks in which it did not have confidence.

Clearly this decision by the UK to sort of let Huawei into their 5G network has rattled the US. But not enough to cut the UK off from intel just yet:

Asked if the US would reduce intelligence sharing with the UK due to the Huawei access to the UK network, Pompeo said: “We will never permit American international security information to go across a network that we don’t have trust and confidence in.

“That’s the standard, whether it is a Microsoft system, it is the same whether it is a Ericsson, a Nokia system, that’s the standard if it is a Chinese system.

“We will work with our UK counterparts, and I know the Australians, the New Zealanders, all others in the ‘five eyes’, will work together to ensure the systems are sufficiently secure and they are going to deliver the outcomes we need them to deliver, and that we have only a level of risk in the system that we find tolerable.

“I’m sure that we will protect American information to that standard.”

They way I read this, the US is going to try and talk the UK out of letting Huawei in. My question is, will the UK blow the US off or fold up like a cheap suit? This should be interesting to watch.