Huawei devices works “Better Together”. And so, for a whole month, I’ve tried the Huawei ecosystem first hand to see if it’s true.
Tech brands have already established their very own ecosystem of devices, one of which is Huawei’s 1+8+N ecosystem. One (1) means the HUAWEI smartphone which is the center of the ecosystem. Eight (8) is the different supporting devices to create a fully-connected IoT environment, consisting of Endless (N) services. It is designed to make Huawei devices work well together. I have heard and read good things about Huawei’s ecosystem, so I figured I check it out myself.
Devices I’m Using on the Huawei Ecosystem
Now, I don’t exactly have a complete line of devices, but I’ll just do with what I have at the moment.
- HUAWEI nova 8i
- HUAWEI MatePad 10.4 2021
- HUAWEI Band 6
- HUAWEI FreeBuds 3
As for other devices I’m not able to include, I’ll write a separate review when I get the chance to try them, namely the MateBook, GT watches, and MateView monitors. I will be sharing my experience with the devices I have on how they pair with each other, how they help with productivity, their entertainment capabilities, how they help with fitness, and photography.
Device Pairing
Devices in the ecosystem typically pairs easily with each other, and this is especially true with Huawei devices. The devices literally just detect each other and all you have to do is just tap pair. By simply opening the FreeBuds’ case, the tablet and the phone detects it and prompts if you want to pair it. No need to scan to pair. Pairing the HUAWEI Band 6 for the first time was seamless as well. All I had to do was open the HUAWEI Health app and on the Device tab, tab on Add. It automatically detects which devices are near, and we can then pair it.
I had the Band and the FreeBuds paired with both the nova 8i and the MatePad. Now, I wanted to see how’s the experience when switching paired devices. For the Band, it was fairly easy, but you need to scroll around its settings first to disconnect, then connect it to the other device via the HUAWEI Health app.
The FreeBuds, on the other hand, can switch with paired devices very easily. If it is paired with multiple devices, you can choose which device to pair it the very moment you open the case. In my case, there was an option on both device whether to use the FreeBuds for that device.
Fitness Tracking
As we do our best to be fit and healthy, it is always nice to have devices that help us in our fitness journey. The HUAWEI Band 6 is a perfect companion. It is not just a fitness band, it’s a smart fitness band. The band tracks your workout, activities, as well as sleeping. It can even measure your heartrate and SPO2 levels. All these metrics are sync to the HUAWEI Health app instantly.
You can also pair the band with your Freebuds during your workouts. The band can control your phone’s music player, so you can listen to music while working out. The buds also have Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) so you won’t get distracted from other noise in the surroundings and just focus on your sets. However, if you are going out for a jog outdoors, I wouldn’t recommend turning on ANC so you can hear incoming traffic, preventing accidents.
Productivity
The most important factor about the ecosystem is how it help improves productivity. I’ve actually tried working on-the-go before with the HUAWEI MatePad and found it was very doable. So, I’ve tried doing it again, this time along with the rest of my Huawei devices. The most useful feature I’ve used is the Huawei Share. Files can be transferred from the phone to the tablet, and vice-versa, seamlessly without delay. It even transfers videos fast. I normally shot photos and videos with the nova 8i and edit them on the MatePad since it’s easier to edit on a bigger screen.
Another very useful feature is Multi-Screen Collaboration. It let’s you control your phone and project its screen on the tablet. Which you can also drag-and drop files with Huawei Share. Unfortunately, though, I wasn’t able to try it because it seems that my nova 8i is incompatible. I have heard good things about the feature though, so I will try it on a later date when I get access to another Huawei device.
Entertainment
After a long day of work, it’s good to unwind by listening to some tunes or watch some movies. Both the nova 8i and the MatePad 10.4 have great screen with crisp pictures as well as clear and loud speakers. If you want to listen to music privately, listening with the FreeBuds is a treat because it sounds superb. And when you decide to switch to privately watch a movie on the MatePad, it’s easy to switch the buds pairing. The MatePad’s display can also be mirrored to a Huawei compatible monitor if you want a enjoy your content at a bigger screen. Unfortunately, though, I currently don’t have access to a Huawei monitor at the time of writing, so I haven’t tested how good is the experience.
Photography
Taking self portraits can be hard sometimes if you are by yourself. Most would just place their phone or tablet on a tripod or a desk, and set it to timer mode. But you can actually use your TWS buds and smartwatch/band as a remote shutter. Huawei watches/bands have a remote shutter function built-in on them. As for the FreeBuds, you can double tap the right buds and it will instantly start the timer. This isn’t actually limited to just the Huawei ecosystem, but it’s a neat little trick for taking self-portraits.
TL;DR
In my time working with the devices, I found that they do work better together. The Huawei ecosystem truly makes tasks more convenient and efficient. Now most ecosystems lock you in. But with Huawei, you can actually use them with other products since the Huawei Health and Huawei AI Life apps can be installed on other devices. The only downside I encountered in the whole experience is that some features are not available in some incompatible devices. But overall, the experience is great so far. If you already own a Huawei device right now, you should consider choosing another Huawei again for the next addition of your arsenal. It will definitely upgrade your productivity and make things efficient and seamless.
If you are interested in the devices I used on this write up, current prices as well as their Shopee links are listed below.
| Huawei Device | Price | Shopee Link |
|---|---|---|
| nova 8i | ₱13,999 | Get it on Shopee! |
| MatePad 10.4 2021 | ₱18,999 | Get it on Shopee! |
| Band 6 | ₱2,599 | Get it on Shopee! |
| FreeBuds 3 | ₱8,990 | Get it on Shopee! |
Huawei Philippines is also having a Better Together sale right now. So, it’s the perfect time to get into the ecosystem. The promo will run until February 20, 2022, you can read more about it on the link below.
