Last month, Huawei started seeding an update to users of the Mate 10 series (the Huawei Mate 10 and the Mate 10 Pro), that included, among other things, the face unlock feature that is found on Huawei’s 2018 smartphones.
That update has been available in China, Malaysia and a few other places in Asia since then.
Now, users of the Mate 10 in Kenya are reporting getting a software update that brings face unlock to their devices. The update appears to have started hitting devices yesterday which means the rollout is in progress and those who have not yet received it will surely do.
As can be seen from the screen grab below, the update also includes a feature that the P20 Pro prides as being responsible for its low-light prowess, in addition to, of course, the heavy-lifting done by its excellent cameras.
The only disclaimer is that updates are usually distributed by the region of origin of the device so while those who bought their Mate 10s in the country may be receiving it, those who have units that were shipped in from elsewhere may either have received it earlier or might have to wait a little longer.
The face unlock feature, which is now almost a must-have on all devices entering the market, only works when the display is on. That is not out of the ordinary, though, as it’s how most of the devices I have used so far that have the feature operate. However, being the premium phone that it is, Huawei is taking advantage of the sensors on the device to automatically turn on the screen when the device is raised, as people are bound to when using their devices.
Huawei unveiled the Mate 10 in Kenya in November last year through online retailer Jumia and followed it up in January this year by availing the Mate 10 Pro through Safaricom.
The Huawei Mate 10 Lite, one of the best budget smartphones in the country, is also receiving face unlock through a software update so users who have yet to get it can look forward to it in coming days.
Special thanks to Joel and Zak for the heads up on this.
