Huawei Mate 30 Pro launches at Carphone with big freebies but no Google apps

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A free pair of headphones and a smartwatch when you buy

Huawei Mate 30 pro deals
(Image credit: Future)

After the somewhat controversial ban of Huawei from Android and Google services, we were unsure what the future of the brand would hold. But now here we are, with the next device in the Mate series...completely void of a Google presence.

We already knew that the Huawei Mate 30 Pro wouldn't come with the Google apps but now it is actually available to buy, with SIM-free deals costing £899.99 at Carphone Warehouse, and it is time to question if that is worth paying.

Obviously, Huawei is really trying to make the case, offering up both a free smartwatch and a pair of wireless earbuds to anyone who buys the phone. That's, in Carphone Warehouse's estimates, a value of £348.99 in just the gifts.

Head straight to Carphone Warehouse to buy the Huawei Mate 30 Pro

Whether or not this will be worth it to you depends on how important the Google apps are. You'll be losing the likes of Google Maps, Chrome, Google Pay, YouTube, the Google Playstore and Google Photos and even though Huawei has promised to provide alternatives, there is no telling how close they will be to Google's.

With specs similar to that of the new Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus and Apple's iPhone 11 Pro Max, the Huawei Mate 30 Pro is a fair bit cheaper than its competing devices and does offer a double up on freebies - rarely seen on phones. If you can live in a life post-Google apps, this could be the right flagship phone for you.

What's the Huawei Mate 30 Pro like?

Any review you read of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro (including our comments above) will be quick to point out the lack of Google - it is a pretty big deal after all! However, the Mate 30 Pro is actually an incredible device past that.

It has a class-leading low light camera and following on from the Huawei P30 Pro, an impressive zoom functionality and even a time of flight fourth camera. That paired with the 4500mAh battery and 6.5-inch curved AMOLED display puts this amongst the best smartphones around right now.

Read our hands-on Huawei Mate 30 Pro review to get a full picture

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Alex Hughes
Alex Hughes

Alex is a journalist who has written extensively about all things broadband, SIMs and phone contracts, as well as scouring the internet to land you the best prices on the very latest in gadgets and tech. Whether that be with the latest iPhones and Android handsets, breaking down how broadband works or revealing the cheapest SIM plans, he's in the know, and will help you land a bargain.