Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Has HUAWEI's partnership with Leica expired? HUAWEI says no.
- HUAWEI has refuted a rumor that its partnership with Leica has expired.
- The rumor comes via a prominent Weibo leaker.
- HUAWEI has teamed up with Leica since 2016.
HUAWEI and camera company Leica first teamed up for the HUAWEI P9 back in 2016, with the camera firm contributing to image processing, UI design, and camera module design. Since then, we’ve seen numerous HUAWEI flagships packing the Leica branding.
Now, HUAWEI has refuted a claim that the partnership between the two companies has actually expired. More specifically, the Chinese brand told Android Authority that the claim was “absolutely fake news.”
The source of the claim is frequent Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station, who also alleged that Leica has been contacted by other Chinese smartphone manufacturers. Check out a screenshot of the machine-translated post below.
We also contacted Leica to confirm the claim, but a representative told Android Authority that they “have no information about the termination of the partnership.”
All of HUAWEI’s flagships since the 2016 HUAWEI P9 were released as part of the tie-up with Leica, coinciding with HUAWEI’s rise to prominence as a major photography powerhouse.
The P9 arguably put the firm on the map as far as photography is concerned, owing to its neat dual rear camera system (12MP camera plus 12MP monochrome camera). Other noteworthy phones released as part of the Leica partnership include the HUAWEI P20 series (being first to offer the new-generation of night mode), and the HUAWEI P30 series, packing a Sony RYYB camera sensor for improved low-light performance.
The latest HUAWEI Mate 40 phones also sport Leica branding, and we thought the Mate 40 Pro delivered fantastic images in our review. So expect future flagships to continue the Leica trend.