Huawei P40 Pro: 10 Most Asked Questions Answered (Singapore)

The Huawei P40 series have been launched a while ago, and we have got a lot of queries about the phone. So, Melissa is going to answer 10 of the most asked questions about the phone.

1. What’s the difference between Huawei P40 and P40 Pro?

Answer: The Huawei P40 is slightly more affordable and more compact in size, it has 3 Leica rear cameras lens and a 17mm ultra-wide lens that can also double up as a macro lens.

While on the other hand, the P40 Pro is slightly bigger with a 6.58 inch display. It comes with an 18mm cine lens so it allows for a more stable and smooth video experience. It also comes with a 5 times optical telephoto lens which allows you to zoom in even further allowing you to capture subjects that are far away with better detail.

On the battery side, the Huawei P40 Pro comes with a slightly bigger battery at 4200 mAH and supercharge at 40 watts while the P40 has a battery life of 3800 mAH and supercharge at 22.5W.

2. Can it be compared to Apple iPhone 11 and Samsung Galaxy S20?

Answer: Yes, it can because they are all considered flagship phones. In fact, Huawei will be releasing its P40 Pro+ later this year which is supposed to take the P40 series up a notch.

3. Does it really have one of the best cameras?

Answer: The DXOMark says that the P40 Pro has achieved “an outstanding DXOMark Camera score of 128, because it is the best or one of the very best devices tested to date across nearly all categories. TIPA also recognised the Huawei P40 Pro as the “Best Smartphone Camera”.

4. ​Macro with the ultra-wide…how macro? I can get mega close with the P30 Pro, can it get as close as that can?

Answer: The Huawei P30 Pro’s ultra-wide lens is 16mm equivalent. Both the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro can get as close as the P30 Pro, but the P40 has a slightly narrower 17mm ultra-wide lens to give a macro effect. While the P40 Pro has an 18mm ultra-wide lens, it does not have the delicate macro function.

5. How much is the Huawei P40 Pro?

Answer: The Huawei P40 Pro costs $1,448 Singapore dollars.

6. The Samsung Galaxy S20 is just S$1,200 but the Huawei P40 Pro is S$1,400, is it worth it?

Answer: The technical specifications for both phones are very different. For more information on both phones, you can watch our review on the Samsung Galaxy S20 and Huawei P40 Pro respectively for better comparison.

If you are looking to get professional level cameras on a smartphone, the P40 Pro’s cameras are co-engineered with Leica. Also, you might want to note that all P40 models are 5G ready, ​whereas S20 is not,​ only the S20 Ultra is 5G ready.

7. Can I use my favourite apps like Whatsapp, YouTube and Netflix on the Huawei P40 Pro?

Answer: For YouTube, you can either phone clone the app over, or directly use it via the browser, saving it as a web shortcut on home screen.

As for Netflix, phone cloning the app or logging in on browser is possible, however we are unable to play and watch the shows. Well, Melissa prefers to watch Netflix on her TV as the bigger screen, the better for her!​ Alternatively, there’s other content platforms like Viu, IQIYI or Huawei video on the Huawei AppGallery.

As for Whatsapp, you can phone clone the app over, but to save chat history, will need to backup chat history locally and transfer that backup file to the P40 Pro. The latest Phone Clone update (v 10.1.1.350) now also allows you to transfer your Whatsapp data as well.

8. How can I install Google Apps and Google Play Store?

Answer: Google Play Store is no longer available on Huawei mobile devices, so you won’t be able to install apps that are only on the Play Store.

Some of the Google apps can be accessed using the web versions. Alternatively, you can do a phone clone for apps like Google Maps or Snapseed or you can also check out Huawei App Gallery, that Huawei has been trying to increase the number of useful apps for users over the past months.

You may want to check out our feature piece “Will The New Huawei Phones Work Without Google?”.

9. The biggest issue I have with the P40 series will be the lack of Bank apps. Is there any way to fix it?

Answer: Commonly-used bank apps like UOB is already available while more bank apps like DBS, POSB, OCBC will be made available very soon as talks are underway. In the meantime, you can use the bank’s web version in the browser. Recently, Huawei has launched Huawei Pay with Union Pay and ICBC. The Huawei team is working towards making convenient, cashless transactions for Huawei users in future.

10. I am satisfied with the Huawei P30 Pro. Why should I upgrade?

Answer: If you want great photography tools and you are okay to make do with non-Google apps, the Huawei P40 series has better cameras and camera features that include removing passerby and reflections. Also, it has better screen resolution, better processor.

This content is brought to you in partnership with Huawei.