SINGAPORE - Comex, one of Singapore's biggest consumer technology shows, kicked off on Thursday (Sept 5) with the local launch of possibly the last full-fledged Android smartphone by Huawei - the Nova 5T.
Last week, Reuters reported that a Google spokesman confirmed Huawei's upcoming flagship smartphone, the Mate 30 series, will not come with Google's full suite of apps and services - known as Google Mobile Services - due to the United States' ban on Huawei, a Chinese company.
The ban stems from the ongoing trade war between the US and China.
As for the Nova 5T phone, Mr Jonathan Ye, chief marketing officer of Huawei consumer business group Singapore, said during the handset's local launch that it will have the whole suite of Google Mobile Services.
This means the mid-range Nova 5T is possibly the last Huawei Android smartphone to be fully supported by Google. But Huawei has declined to comment if this is the case.
Priced at $598, the Nova 5T runs on Huawei's flagship Kirin 980 AI processor and has five cameras, including four rear cameras. Pre-orders for the Nova 5T start on Friday and the phone will begin selling from Sept 14.
But visitors to Comex 2019, which runs from Thursday till Sunday at Suntec Singapore, will be able to get a hands-on with the Nova 5T at Hall 605, where the inaugural Esports Festival Asia (EFA) will be held during the consumer electronics fair.
Comex organiser Sphere Exhibits, a Singapore Press Holdings subsidiary, is investing $1 million in EFA to help more people understand what e-sports is about, especially with e-sports debuting as a medal sport at the SEA Games to be held in November and December.
Around 200 e-sport players from the region will compete for a total prize pool of $35,000 in six game titles and four different tournaments at EFA.
Over 20,000 spectators are expected to watch the fast and furious action at EFA. And at 7pm on Friday, they can catch a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive show match with Hong Kong TVB actor Shaun Tam (Succession War, 2018) and Singaporean pro gamer Leslie Soen teaming up to battle foes.
Tam and TVB celebrities Grace Chan and Katy Kung will also be meeting fans on Friday and Saturday in their first joint meet-and-greet sessions.
For photography buffs, the first Singapore Photography Festival will be held during Comex 2019. Over 50 winning photographs from the Singapore Photography Award and World Photographic Cup 2019 are being displayed at level 3 of Suntec Singapore as part of the festival. There are also photography seminars and model photo-shoots to check out.
About half a million visitors are expected at Comex 2019, which also features many tech deals and promotions.
For instance, local audio firm Creative has a bundle sale of its critically-acclaimed Super X-Fi (Sxfi) 3D surround sound headphones comprising Creative Outlier Gold and Sxfi Theater for only $289 (usual price $438).
Virtual telco MyRepublic is offering a new plan that includes unlimited mobile data and SMS for $48 per month during the show as well.
Visitors who spend more than $500 - in a maximum of three combined receipts - at Comex 2019 can also redeem a set of Sennheiser MX 170 earphones, while stocks last.
Entry to Comex at Suntec Singapore is free. The fair is open from 11am to 9pm for level 3, and 12pm to 9pm for levels 4 and 6 daily until Sunday.
