Like it or not, brands continue to push boundaries in tech and innovation by bringing us super slender slabs on the table.

From Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, TECNO’s SPARK Slim, and Apple’s iPhone 17 Air, HUAWEI re-explores this year’s Mate line with an all-new model: the Mate 70 Air.

Editor’s Note: No one’s entirely sure if HUAWEI is going to skip the Mate 80 series for 2025.

The Thinnest Mate

Although the Mate 70 Air doesn’t totally beat iPhone Air’s 5.68mm thinness, it’s still HUAWEI’s thinnest slimmest single-slab smartphone to date at just 6.6mm thin!

Hidden beneath this ultra-thin design is a large 6500mAh Si/C battery.

It also fills in the lapses of the iPhone Air by incorporating a large VC (Vapor Cooling) chamber as well as the inclusion of dual stereo speakers.

Fast charging is capped at 66W through HUAWEI’s SuperCharge standards although unlike the iPhone and Galaxy, the Mate 70 Air lacks wireless charging.

This time, HUAWEI has indicated the processor it uses. It’s powered by the company’s in-house chipsets: Kirin 9020A for 16GB variants while 9020B for the smaller 12GB models.

Definitively, the Mate 70 Air is also the first super-slim smartphone that boasts a triple camera system.

And by that, it houses the three main focal lengths in modern-day smartphones: 1x wide (main), ultra-wide, and even a telephoto module intact.

To be precise, it has a 50MP f/1.8 main camera based on a 1/1.3-inch sensor plus an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens that doubles as a macro unit.

Last but definitely not the least, there’s the 12MP f/2.4 RYYB telephoto module that can take shots in 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digitally.

Front camera is a 10MP f/2.2 ultra-wide shooter.

Video recording is capped at 4K with AIS in mind (yes, AI-based image stabilization). Don’t be confused though as the main and telephoto cameras still have OIS built-in.

7-inch after 7 years!

The HUAWEI Mate 70 Air boasts a massive display not just in theory, but in real numbers. And by that, it has a massive 7.0-inch display.

After the 7.2-inch touting Mate 20X from seven (7) years ago, it’s the second HUAWEI phone to boast a screen past the 6-inch mark.

It’s a 120Hz Full HD+ OLED display capable of producing up to 4000 nits of peak brightness and has Audio and HDR Vivid Certifications as well.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

And as surprising as it seems, it’s the only other slab that has stylus support (other than the Galaxy S series).

Covering that is none other than HUAWEI’s latest-gen Kunlun glass.

And while we’re at it, an ultra-durable brocade material was also used. This improves impact resistance of up to 10 times.

It also features the quintessential dual IP68 + IP69 water and dust resistance rating.

Lastly, it runs China-based HarmonyOS 5.1 with intelligent AI features in line.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Also, an upgraded Wi-Fi 7+ support debuts here that can easily penetrate walls and reduce unwanted buffering while streaming.

Two-way satellite services, at least in China, is also supported through Beidou.

Pricing and Availability

The HUAWEI Mate 70 Air is available in Obsidian Black, Feathered White, plus Gold and Silver Brocade color choices.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Mainland China pricing and configuration are as follows:

• 12+256GB =CNY 4199 (US$ 585 / EUR 505 / GBP 430 / SG$ 750 / PhP 33,430 / INR 50,360)
• 12+512GB = CNY 4699 (US$ 660 / EUR 570 / GBP 495 / SG$ 860 / MYR 2780 / PhP 38,400 / INR 58,300)
• 16+256GB = CNY 4699 (US$ 660 / EUR 570 / GBP 495 / SG$ 860 / MYR 2780 / PhP 38,400 / INR 58,300)
• 16+512GB = CNY 5199 (US$ 730 / EUR 630 / GBP 550 / SG$ 950 / MYR 3075 / PhP 42,485 / INR 64,500)

* These are only approximate, rounded-off conversions for reference

As usual, global availability was never indicated. We just have to wait if they will bring this to overseas markets like this year’s Pura 80 series.

Back in September, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally launched, ending an almost seven-year wait. Now, the next holy grail of gaming that’s set to launch is Grand Theft Auto VI. However, the wait is now a tiny bit longer. Rockstar Games has delayed the launch of its upcoming game to November 2026.

It’s been over 12 years since the launch of Grand Theft Auto V. In that time, the title has gone through three generations of the Xbox and the PlayStation. It even has an enhanced edition already. That said, the highly anticipated sixth outing is a long time coming.

In the tail end of 2023, Rockstar Games released the first trailer for the anticipated sequel, teasing a launch in 2025. Further reports pinpointed a fall 2025 window. Since then, the studio delayed the game to May 2026 for extra polishing.

Today, Rockstar Games has announced another delay. This time, Grand Theft Auto VI will launch on November 19, 2026. The studio is once again citing the need to polish the final product a bit more.

Besides the game itself, there is a lot riding on its launch. For one, other game developers are notorious for patterning their games’ release windows away from Grand Theft Auto VI (or other major games). They naturally don’t want their games to be the one known for being overshadowed by Rockstar’s surefire hit.

Secondly, publishers are patiently waiting for how much the game will go for. There’s speculation that the title might push the boundaries of videogame pricing. If the game is a hit while going for 90 to 100 bucks, then other publishers might follow suit.

SEE ALSO: Grand Theft Auto VI gets its first-ever trailer

“Golden” must be the most popular song this year. Months after the launch of KPop Demon Hunters, the catchy song is still an earworm. Capitalizing on the hit’s success, Netflix is already considering a sequel. Now, KPop Demon Hunters 2 has reportedly been confirmed with a distant release window.

After less than a year, KPop Demon Hunters is already Netflix’s most-watched title ever. The platform was even confident enough to release the film (and a special singalong version) in select theaters. Soon after the success, Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix kept a potential sequel in mind.

Now, according to Deadline, Netflix has greenlit the sequel for production. KPop Demon Hunters 2, or whatever it might be called, will reportedly premiere sometime in 2029.

No, it’s not just you. Four years is a lengthy wait for a sequel. Then again, animated films take much longer to make. For example, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, coincidentally also coming from Sony Pictures Animation, will premiere in 2027, which is also four years after the previous film.

However, if the Spider-Verse trilogy is any indication, the longer production time can easily churn out a film that tops charts. Both Across the Spider-Verse and KPop Demon Hunters are easily the top animated contenders of its respective years.

SEE ALSO: KPop Demon Hunters is now Netflix’s most-watched movie