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Huawei brings Force Touch to its phones before Apple

Huawei brings Force Touch to its phones before Apple

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But only in 'select markets'

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Huawei today announced the Mate S, a new flagship phone that includes a familiar sounding feature: Force Touch. That's also the name of Apple's pressure-based touchscreen technology, which is featured on the Apple Watch and will reportedly be included on the new iPhone.

The Android-based smartphone was unveiled today at IFA in Berlin. It features a 5.5-inch AMOLED display, with a full metal shell and curved back, but most notable are its user interaction components. The Mate S includes an upgraded fingerprint scanner and "Knuckle Sense" technology, first introduced in the P8, which lets users switch between apps using their knuckles.

huawei knuckle

Huawei's Force Touch feature, like Apple's, differentiates the pressure users apply to the phone's touchscreen, allowing them to execute various functions, such as zooming in on a photo or opening applications. It also allows the screen to be used as a scale.

The Mate S will be first available in more than 30 countries, including China, France, Germany, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates, though the Force Touch version will only be available in "select markets," according to a press release. Preorders in Western Europe begin on September 15th. The standard, 32GB model will be priced at €649, with the 64GB version at €699. Pricing for the Force Touch version was not disclosed, though the Chinese manufacturer says it will provide more information on it next month.