No matter how pleasant shopping may be to us all, it always better with good company. Shopping with a partner for company, an extra opinion on what to buy and where we might find it - or when we need an intervention for those unwarranted in-between-shopping snacks - is what makes shopping fun.
No device will ever replace the presence of your best friend on those days, surely, but what if your phone could get a bit closer? We're referring to the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro.
This gem is no ordinary smartphone, it is a real companion. Besides its ultimately elegant design, it integrates a few features that proved to be essential for shopping.
HiVision: Your personal item finder (and dietician!)
The HUAWEI MATE 20 Pro uses AI to help you find the piece you've got your eye on instantly and without the need of third party applications.
See a pair of shoes you like on a friend? Use your camera to identify them (and their brand) and tell you exactly where to get them from, and how much they're going for.
Afraid you might be overpaying for a pair of earphones? Point your camera at it and the HiVision feature will take you to an e-store where they are available so you can compare prices - faster than you can say "cheese" (pun intended).
These ecommerce platforms are international sites and Huawei is working on having local partners provide this type of service in South Africa.
Speaking of cheese, who doesn't snack when they shop? We're guessing no-one. Now when stopping for a meal, use your camera to check whether or not your carrot cake is within your calorie budget.
According to the ingredients identified on food and beverages, HiVision can give you an approximate number of the calories they contain meaning it can tell a plain burger and a cheese burger apart, counting the cheese calories and trying to remain as precise as possible when giving you results.
This can help you respect your daily meal plan and stay healthy. No need to sit and wonder what difference one single slice of cheesy pizza will make, it will tell you and you'll wish you hadn't asked.
Leica Ultra Wide Angle Lens: Full outfit shots, small detail shots, picture perfect shots
We already know no camera can compete with HUAWEI's 20 Mate Pro’s 40MP Leica Triple Camera with its three sensors (40MP, 20MP with an embedded with the world's first Leica Wide Angle Lens and 8MP with telephoto) - in comparison with the 16MP cameras of most smartphones on the market.
Not only does it offer the best resolution out there, but thanks to the Leica Wild Angle Lens, it is possible to cram all your field of vision in one photo. This means that standing in front of the changing room mirror and struggling to fit the entire pantsuit along with the shoes in one single frame will not happen anymore, the Wide Angle Lens has your back.
Simply set the magnification settings to 0.6x and you will be able to fit more into the screen without compromising the image quality. Take a shot of the full outfit to share with a friend and get a second opinion - or keep it to make up your mind about the outfit later because it's as good as looking in the mirror.
This same Leica Wide Angle Lens also enables you to shoot objects as at as close as 2.5 cm and still getting a wonderfully clear resolution, so zooming in on the blouse's intricate embroidery, on the earrings’ stones or on the studs on your boots is now possible. Check out the details and quality you would not be able to see with the naked eye.
In addition to great resolution, wider view and close shots, the camera - and the entire phone actually - also integrates Artificial Intelligence, which is a game changer and the main reason why the HUAWEI Mate 20 is a companion rather than a phone.
Once pointed at an object, the camera recognises it and optimizes colours accordingly to highlight what you are aiming to shoot, unlike most other smartphone cameras that take standard shots, regardless of the content. No need for editing, they'll be "picture perfect".
You will get to share numerous outfit pictures with your best friend for a second opinion, and they will be so incredibly clear even under poor changing room lights, that your friend would feel like they're right there with you. Bombard your partner with outfit shots to get their opinion too - men love that (sarcasm).
Big battery and Super-fast charging: Pull an "all-dayer"
By now, you're probably already thinking that the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro is too good to be true, and wondering what the catch is. Will battery die on me within a couple of hours?
Well, with a 4200mAh battery, the answer is a firm no. It's one of the largest smartphone batteries on the market, and one of the safest as well, being certified by TUV Safety.
The battery will last so long, you will be taking an endless amount of photos, comparing prices, chatting on WhatsApp, listening to music, scrolling through social media, and using your smartphone in every possible way without worrying that the battery would let you down and ruin shopping day.
If however, you left home with a low or even a dead battery, find a plug and grab a coffee while your phone quickly and safely charges with the new HUAWEI 40W SuperCharge adapter getting you close to 70% in only 30 minutes.
And if you're lucky enough to be accompanied by a friend who happens to have a HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro as well, you'll be able to charge your phone in the coolest most practical way, with theirs, thanks to the Reverse Charge feature which enables the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro to serve as a power bank for any other smartphone supporting Qi.
Just by placing your phone on top of theirs and activating this feature, you can start charging your phone quickly. There is basically no reason for your battery to be dead on shopping day, or ever.
The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro makes shopping easier, faster and more pleasant and is also packed with other fantastic features that great for shopping day - and every day - like unlocking the phone with the In-screen fingerprint, which enables you to unlock the phone rapidly by placing your finger on the screen itself.
This comes in handy when trying to shuffle the phone around in your hand to reach the unlock button while carrying several shopping bags; or its compact design making it easy to grip - to name a few.
It's also user-friendly, offers a smooth user-experience and is extremely reactive thanks to its AI integration.
Make your way to the closest store and try it out, you'll know right away you would have found your new shopping companion.