Huawei is rolling out an update to its smartphone user interface, giving customers access to new videoconferencing and collaboration tools as well as its own digital assistant, named Celia. The EMUI update is designed to replace some of the services from Google lost due to US sanctions against Huawei doing business with American companies.
The EMUI 10.1 update premiered on the P40 series launched in March and is now rolling out to over a dozen existing Huawei models. In addition to improved latency and new design features, the update includes the MeeTime app for video calls and screen sharing. MeeTime is initially available in China, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and South Africa and will be rolled out in more countries later this year.
Huawei also adds new ways to transfer files, photos or videos to other Huawei or third-party devices using short-range connections, to cast content to other screens and to amplify the phone's sound with a Bluetooth speaker or earbuds. In addition, a multi-device control panel is available by swiping up from the lower corner of the phone screen, for quick access to other connected devices.
The biggest part of the update is the roll-out of Celia, Huawei's replacement for the Google Assistant. Activated with the command 'Hey Celia', the AI assistant can look up information, set alarms and phone settings, take notes and messages, schedule events, translate foreign languages, scan food for calories or objects for purchase options, and make calls for the user.
Initially, Celia will support three languages – English, French, and Spanish. It will roll out first to the Huawei Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro in the UK, France, Spain, Mexico, Chile, Columbia and South Africa and eventually to more countries in the world.
The EMUI upgrade is planned to roll out from later this month to the Huawei P30, P30 Pro, Mate 20, Mate 20 Pro, Mate 20 X, Nova 5T, Mate Xs, P40 lite, Nova 7i, Mate 30, Mate 30 Pro, MatePad Pro and MediaPad M6 10.8. In addition, the Honor View30 Pro, 20, 20 Pro and View20 will receive a similar update to the Magic UI system.
