Huawei recently launched its Mate 70 series in Shenzhen, featuring three new smartphones: the Mate 70, Mate 70 Pro, and Mate 70 Pro Plus. Starting at 5,499 yuan (equivalent to around $760), this series includes a groundbreaking feature—hand gesture-controlled content transfer between devices.

A video on Huawei’s official Chinese website captures this innovation in action: a user transfers a dinosaur cartoon image from her smartphone to a tablet by mimicking a grabbing motion with her hand and then releasing it over the tablet. This seamless interaction is powered by sophisticated under-screen cameras and sensors.

This series is positioned as a formidable rival to Apple’s iPhone 16 in China, especially noteworthy as Huawei anticipates the new U.S. export restrictions that might affect up to 200 Chinese tech entities. Although Huawei has not disclosed the processors in the Mate 70 series, its predecessor, the Mate 60, utilized the company’s own Kirin 6000 chip that supports 5G.

Facing stringent U.S. sanctions since 2019, which curtail the sale of critical software and components from American entities without special licenses, Huawei has been driven towards self-reliance. The sanctions particularly impacted its access to Google Mobile Services, barring the inclusion of widely-used apps like Gmail and Google Maps. In response, Huawei has developed HarmonyOS Next and Harmony OS 4.3—the latter maintains compatibility with Android apps—to offer users alternatives amidst these constraints.

The premier model, the Mate 70 Pro Plus, is packed with high-end features including a sophisticated triple-camera setup with capabilities for 4x optical and 100x digital zoom. It’s designed for durability and speed, with a 5,700 mAh battery supporting 100W wired and 80W wireless charging. It also offers IP68 and IP69 durability ratings and satellite communications through the Tiantong and Beidou networks, ensuring service availability in signal-absent zones.

Accompanying the launch of the Mate 70 series, Huawei also unveiled its latest foldable phone, the Mate X6, and a high-end smartwatch crafted from solid gold. Initially available only in China, the Mate X6 is expected to launch internationally soon. This strategic release showcases Huawei’s ongoing commitment to innovating across the technology spectrum, connecting users in novel ways through enhanced device interactivity.