Huawei has unveiled its new line-up of artificial intelligence-powered smartphones designed to take on Samsung and Apple.
The Chinese manufacturer has announced the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro, both of which house the company's new Kirin 970 processor chip, which Huawei says is the first ever to include a neural network processing unit (NPU), enabling the phone to think and learn.
Apple introduced its own AI-powered processor - the A11 Bionic - alongside the iPhone 8 and upcoming iPhone X last month, while Samsung and other Android smartphones now support virtual assistants designed to understand and respond to voice commands.
The flagship Mate 10 Pro also features a six-inch OLED display, dual rear cameras designed in collaboration with imaging firm Leica, and will run the latest version of the Android operating system, 8.0 Oreo.
"As we enter the age of intelligence, AI is no longer a virtual concept but something that intertwines with our daily life," Huawei chief executive Richard Yu said.
"AI can enhance the user experience; provide valuable services and improve product performance. The Huawei Mate 10 Series introduces the first mobile AI-specific Neural Network Processing Unit, launching a new era of intelligent smartphones."
The AI built into the phone will learn user habits and learn which apps are used the most Huawei says, as well as recognise objects in photos and automatically edit images to improve them.
The Chinese manufacturer says its AI processor will deliver up to 25 times more performance and 50 times more energy efficiency because of the intelligence of the Kirin chip.
Smartphone expert Ernest Doku from uSwitch.com said Huawei's new line-up now made it a "serious contender" to challenge Samsung and Apple.
