The biggest mistake HONOR made with the Magic V2 was delaying the global launch

While I was checking out our website android body A few days ago, I noticed that our readers were flocking to an article about the global launch of the HONOR Magic V2. “Huh, curious,” I thought, since HONOR devices — if I’m being honest — aren’t the most popular Android phones on our site. The article remained on top the next day and was later replaced by another post about the launch price of the HONOR Magic V2. “Curious and curious.”

We’re used to seeing readers rave about Pixel, Galaxy and iPhone devices, but Chinese brands, and only Chinese phones in particular, rarely capture everyone’s attention. Obviously, this was a signal for a different attitude towards the Magic V2, but was it? android body Readers or is the trend bypassing us? And what does it mean for the global release of Magic V2?

After my initial discovery, I found myself searching online for signs of interest in HONOR’s latest foldable phone. YouTube was the easiest target. Looking at the channels that posted videos about Magic V2 and its predecessor Magic VS, I noticed an uncertain increase in views of 30-100% on average (although some channels had lower views, the majority saw increases). Jerry Rigg everythingFor example, his video has over 1 million views, which is very close to his videos on the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5. For a phone that only launched in China, this is an impressive feat.

Speaking of trends, there’s also Google Trends, which is a site that shows how often people search for different terms on Google. Interest in the HONOR Magic V2 is already showing higher than the Magic VS globally, despite the V2 not being sold outside of China. That’s amazing, considering there are no marketing campaigns for it, it hasn’t been promoted on operators’ or carriers’ websites yet, there are no deals for it, and maybe half the average techie Joe wouldn’t even know this phone existed.

Obviously, everyone is fascinated by this phone, but why? We haven’t seen many reviews of it yet – the few units HONOR has implanted, including ours, run on unfinished software – but from our short hands-on with the Magic V2, we can tell that this is the epitome of foldable phones.

It’s very thin. Coming in at just under 10mm thick, it’s as thin as a regular smartphone and weighs almost the same. For one-handed use, these fold up and don’t look like a chunky brick. The form factor and external screen with a ratio of 20:9 helps a lot with this. It’s not short and wide like the Google Pixel Fold, nor is it long and narrow like the Galaxy Z Fold 5. It has the largest battery of any foldable phone to date – a custom-designed 5,000mAh split cell.

For me, this is the perfect two-in-one smartphone that foldables promised, but so far haven’t been. If I’m going to invest in a foldable phone, I want it to be a great regular smartphone first and a foldable second; Magic V2 achieves this. It feels good to hold and use for longer periods in its unfolded state, with very few compromises (no wireless charging, no IP rating), and when you need to, you can unfold it for a large tablet-like screen to improve productivity or media consumption. media. Really the best of both worlds.

A screen with reduced flicker, stylus support on both screens, a new hinge design, and other specs only add to what appears to be the most widely used foldable device yet. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. During the company’s press conference at IFA, I followed the YouTube live chat and saw message after message from people asking about the global launch of the V2. the problem? Those enthusiasts who were glued to their screens as they watched HONOR move towards a foldable concept case got no answer about the real phone they were interested in, nor did they get a date or price to look forward to.

It turns out that HONOR didn’t mention the Magic V2’s global release date at IFA because it won’t happen anytime soon. The company confirmed to us that it will launch Magic V2 globally in the first quarter of 2024.

Let me rephrase that: The HONOR Magic V2, which was launched in China in July 2023, will not reach the rest of Asia, Europe and some other global markets before January 1, 2024, optimistically. That’s still six months too late. Realistically, we’re looking at a launch in February or March, seven or eight months behind schedule.

The internet forgets. People forget. The interest is diminishing. With the rapid pace of foldable phones, six months is an eternity. By then, OnePlus will have released the Open, the OPPO Find N3 will likely have it, the Huawei Mate X4 will be on the way, and Samsung’s Google Pixel Fold 2 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 leaks will appear. Better yet, HONOR’s Magic V3 will already be leaking! And the Magic V2, which seems like the most important piece of foldable technology today, will be tossed aside as yesterday’s news. It might not be the thinnest anymore, its battery might not be as impressive, and its cameras would feel a little underwhelming.

If I was considering buying the HONOR Magic V2 and had to wait until early 2024 to get it, there are hundreds of reasons to change my mind before then. Or I look back at my decision when the phone finally goes on sale and think, “Hmmm, am I really going to pay~1,599 euros for the foldable device released last year? Maybe not.” This is the crux of the matter. The Magic V2 will be last year’s phone in the first quarter of 2024. Paying full price for that seems like a bad investment.

I’m sure HONOR has its reasons for doing this, but they all seem ridiculous to me. You strike while the iron is hot, not six months later when you’re fighting an uphill battle to get people’s attention again. You’re giving those techies who Google the Magic V2, watch videos about it, read articles about it, and air out completely boring press conferences on it a tangible price and a release date in the very near future.

China may be HONOR’s main market today, but the rest of the world could be its playground tomorrow, and continue to be ignored and rejected.

At this point, I wonder if it would be better for HONOR to skip the global launch of the Magic V2 entirely and focus on getting the Magic V3 in people’s hands everywhere and at the same time instead. This seems like a better use of resources to me.