The market for cheap, unlocked smartphones in the US is starting to grow considerably, and with that growth comes more and more competition in the sub-$200 space. While Huawei is well-known abroad for its affordable handsets, the Chinese OEM hasn't really made a big push with them here in America previously. A new listing on Amazon suggests that's about to change.

While "Expo" appears in the product name for the listing, the name "SnapTo" is used in all the marketing promo images on the page, so we're pretty sure SnapTo will be the retail name of the device. Expo is probably a codename or placeholder of some kind.

The specifications are certainly respectable, too:

  • 5.0" TFT LCD (720p)
  • Snapdragon 400 processor
  • 1GB RAM
  • 8GB storage (plus microSD slot)
  • 5MP rear camera, 2MP front
  • 2200mAh battery
  • AT&T and T-mobile LTE bands (2, 4, 5, 12)
  • Android 4.4

The big snag there, obviously, is Android 4.4, and it's hard to say if Huawei will ever update something this cheap up to Lollipop. Still, for a phone in this end of the market, there's some flexibility if it's particularly good in other respects, like battery life or performance. The fact that it has LTE also gives it an advantage over the similarly-priced Moto G 2nd Gen here in America, so perhaps that 5MP shooter and old operating system are at least partially redeemed.

The pre-order page says the SnapTo starts shipping on April 9th in the US, with a retail price of $179.99 for either the black or white versions.

Source: Amazon