There's no getting away from the fact that, right now, Huawei's AppGallery ecosystem isn't where it needs to be, and that will lead to anything but a seamless transfer for phone users from their past device.

Superb 90Hz OLED quad-curve display; Powerful internal hardware; God-tier camera system; Professional; mature design; Next-gen 5G connectivity; Slick and fast EMUI 10.1 OS; Battery that runs and runs

No access to Google Play Store; apps or services; Huawei AppGallery still in infancy; Getting common apps on the phone requires tinkering

The Huawei P40 Pro’s hardware makes it the most polished and capable device the company has ever made, but the software experience cripples the handset. The lack of Google Mobile Services is a major problem for many would-be users, and while the camera, design and battery life are all first-rate,...

Phenomenal battery life; One of the best cameras in a phone yet; Likeable design

Frustratingly limited software; Big camera bump; Bezels don’t add much

The Huawei P40 Pro offers a very compelling package of cameras, in fact, the combination of high-quality ultra-wide, wide-angle, and 5x telephoto cameras are an excellent set of cameras to have on a smartphone.

Excellent cameras; True 5x telephoto camera; Great screen; with 90Hz refresh; Impressive image stabilisation for video; Faster fingerprint recognition

Doesn't feature Google Play; Your favourite apps may not be available; 50x digital zoom is terrible; No headphone socket

There’s just one real flaw to this package, but unfortunately it’s a potentially significant one. Without support for Google’s formidable ecosystem of apps and web tools, many users will find themselves cut adrift from their favourite services.

Gorgeous; refined design; Superb; flexible camera; Excellent battery life

No Google Play Services; 50x zoom shots are barely usable; EMUI isn't the best

Fantastic hardware meets challenged software; the P40 Pro is the best camera phone you can get for £899, and the phone’s design is beautiful. Despite some elegant software highlights too, however, the limitations when it comes to Google will likely turn many off.

Class-leading camera; Good battery life; Elegant design; Great if you don't want Google

No Google Services mean; for the price; you'll probably want to look elsewhere (which is a shame); Massive hole punch; App Gallery needs serious improvements quickly

Huawei P40 Pro: The Huawei P40 Pro's hardware is seriously impressive, but is it too early to fully ditch Google?

Gorgeous design; Silky-smooth 90Hz screen; Camera array is exceptional

No Google apps is deal-breaker for many; Price is hard to justify

The Huawei P40 Pro demonstrates that life after Google is possible but not ideal. Despite its abilities, it's hard to recommend to anyone outside of die-hard Huawei fans and tech-savvy users comfortable with compromises

“The Huawei P40 Pro has the best camera in the business, but many will find getting the apps they need quite difficult.”

Superb design and comfort; Sublime OLED screen with 90Hz refresh rate; Brilliant; versatile camera; Long battery life

No Google services or apps; Audio isn't great

In a different 2020, I could be telling you that the Huawei P40 Pro is one of the best phones you could buy. After all, it sees the Chinese telecoms giant at the height of its hardware powers, delivering a device that performs extremely well and leaves little off its spec sheet.

Technically excellent camera; Excellent curved display; Strong performance and battery life

No Google apps or services; Anemic app ecosystem outside of China; Poor speaker; no headphone jack

The Huawei P40 Pro refines last year’s P30 Pro to near perfection. It takes the P series’ main focus, the camera, and innovates in a big way — literally. With a massive camera sensor, 90Hz screen, and updated internals, there’s a lot to love about the P40 Pro.

Crafted to near perfection 90Hz display is a step forward Superb camera system Excellent ergonomics

No GMS support is a killer AppGallery is limited Fancy bezels don’t quite work