You've heard the expression: A little goes a long way. With EMUI 9.0 on the latest Huawei phones, including the Mate 20 Pro, that expression is doubly true.
Previous versions of EMUI were attractive and fluid and intuitive, but this year's version takes things to another level, offering substantial improvements to the way users navigate through the UI and how long they'll have to wait for things to load. But before we get to the specifics, let's look at how EMUI 9.0 took shape.
Inspired by nature
EMUI 9.0 is a breath of fresh air; Huawei took inspiration from nature when designing the interface. Subtle details, like the way contacts without photos have a nature-inspired avatar, or how the default wallpapers ebb and flow like water, cohere into an experience that delights the user and makes them want to keep using the phone — even when they're not doing anything specific.
Faster touch response and more intuitive gestures. Just like nature intended.
But Huawei went even further, simplifying the interface and consolidating the settings to make it much easier for users to find exactly what they're looking for in much less time. Two ripples, one stone. Users can find wallpapers, lock screens, and themes all in one place, and the quick settings menu has larger icons that respond more quickly to the touch.
Furthering the affinity to nature, EMUI 9.0 now has an all-new navigation system based on gestures, which feels wonderful to use when swiping on Huawei's big, beautiful FullView displays. Swiping up from the bottom returns home; swiping and holding activates multitasking; and flicking in from the right or left goes back. It's a full-featured replacement for Android's navigation buttons, and opens up even more of the display for content.
That's truly nature in harmony.
The most intuitive user experience
We use our phones more than any other computer in our lives these days, so Huawei wanted to make sure that each interaction brings a little joy to the user. One way to ensure that is to take human ergonomics into account, mimicking the natural way people hold their phones and use their thumbs to navigate.
That's why navigation bars in many of Huawei's own apps have been moved to the bottom of the display so they're easier to reach when holding the phone with just one hand. EMUI 9.0 also supports an improved one-handed mode for accomplishing even the most complex of tasks while keeping the other hand free.
Huawei also spent a lot of time improving touch response times across the operating system, helping everything feel fluid and more enjoyable. Swiping between screens or tapping an icon feels immediate, and won't slow down over time.
But Huawei is also its own biggest critic, which is why it wanted to improve performance not just compared to the competition but compared to EMUI 8.1. The OS operates 12.9% smoother than its predecessor, and can launch apps like Instagram and Spotify over 10% faster in most situations.
On their own, these tweaks are minor but together, they're the backbone of one of the most significant upgrades ever to EMUI.
Finding Digital Balance
EMUI 9.0 enables you to do more, but it also lets you wind down when you've been staring at a screen for a bit too long. The software has a new Digital Balance dashboard, which shows you how long you've been spending in the apps and games you use every day. But it doesn't just do that — it empowers you to examine whether these apps are providing you satisfaction or joy, and if they're not, you can set daily quotas to help curb your usage.
Get the most out of your phone while using it, and then enjoy the time you're not.
Digital Balance in EMUI is all about Huawei's commitment to "enabling a quality life" wherever you are and in whatever you're doing. It's the reason so many people love using EMUI 9. And when you're done for the day, Wind Down turns the screen greyscale and encourages you to get a peaceful rest so you can get a great night's sleep.
Everything you want
EMUI 9.0 has everything a user wants, from power features to intuitive, easy-to-learn instructions. With many phones slated to receive the EMUI 9.0 upgrade in the coming months, there are millions of Huawei smartphone users who can look forward to these improvements.
