After weeks of uncertainty, the Huawei Y5 2019 is finally available in Kenya. The phone was to be launched in the country earlier but I think the issues between Huawei and Google definitely pushed the launch forward. The main issue was that Google was not going to support Huawei smartphones going forward which was bad PR for the company. Some people were not comfortable buying Huawei phones because of this. I was actually surprised to see Huawei announce the Y5 2019 is available to purchase in Kenya, I thought they were going to wait a little longer.
The drama between Huawei and Google aside, the Y5 2019 is available countrywide through online stores like Jumia and through offline stores too. This is the successor to the Huawei Y5 Prime 2018 and the smaller brother to the Huawei Y6 Prime 2019 that I reviewed earlier this year.
The Huawei Y5 2019 has a compact design but its faux-leather back cover is what makes it stand out. I haven’t seen this design on other smartphones within this price range (at least not in Kenya) and I have to say, it gives the phone a premium feel.
At its price, the Huawei Y5 2019 will be competing with the Tecno Spark 3, the Infinix Hot 7 just to name a few. Both the devices offered by Tecno and Infinix are good and with the recent issues Huawei has been facing with Google, there are some customers who will see them as safer bets compared to the Y5 2019.
Huawei has also addressed the issue with Google saying:
We would like to reassure our consumers that the ongoing crisis does not affect our local operation. Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to all existing products covering those have been sold or still in stock globally. We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally. He concluded.
We will wait and see if these words convince customers to buy the Y5 2019.
Below are some of the key specifications of the Huawei Y5 2019 for those interested.
Specs
Display: 5.71-inch IPS LCD display with 720 x 1520 pixel resolution
Processor: 2.0GHz Quad-core MediaTek MT6761 Helio A22
GPU: PowerVR GE8320
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 32GB internal storage, expandable via microSD card up to 512GB
Cameras: 13MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera
SIM: dual SIM
Battery: 3,020mAh battery
Android: Android 9 Pie, EMUI 9
Size: 147.1 x 70.8 x 8.45mm, 146 grams
Also Read: The Infinix S4 Review
