Following the launch of Android Go devices from the likes of HMD Global, ZTE, and Asus, Chinese vendor Huawei has responded with its own Android Go-powered device dubbed Huawei Y3 2018. This was expected and although the company had also talked up the matter, we didn’t have any dates as to when this would be happening.

Well, the Huawei Y3 2018 is here, joining the Y5, Y6, and Y7 handsets in the company’s 2018 budget offerings, however, all the others have the full-blown version of Android and not the Go edition.

Huawei Y3 2018 specs and features

  • 5-inch FWVGA (854×480 pixels)
  • MediaTek MT6737M
  • 1GB RAM, 8GB onboard storage
  • Main camera: 8MP
    Selfie camera: 2MP
  • 2,280mAh battery
  • Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition)
  • Dimensions: 145.1 x 73.7 x 9.45mm, 170-180g
  • Extras: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB, 3G, 4G, etc.

You might remember that last year, the company unveiled the Y3, Y5, and Y7 2017 handsets. Looking at what the Huawei Y3 2018 has in store, the phone resembles all that was on the Huawei Y3 2017, including dimensions and weight. In other markets like Latin America, the Y3 2017 goes by the name Huawei Y5 Lite 2017.

Huawei Y3 2018 price and release date

Huawei Ghana was the first to give us details of the Y3 2018 Go edition handset and even though the phone is yet to start selling in the West African country, those down to the south of the continent can already grab one for 999 rand, which translates to about $80.

This is the same price you get for the Nokia 1, which also runs Android Go, however, availability of the Huawei Y3 2018 in other markets remains unclear, at least for now. But like other Go handsets, we expect to see the phone heading to more markets, although primarily those that have been enjoying the company’s Y series for quite some time now.

Huawei Y3 2017 (Y5 Lite 2017) may get Android Go features

Huawei Y3 2017

Now that we know Huawei Y3 2018 and Huawei Y3 2017 (Y5 Lite 2017) are basically the same phones with different software, we think that it’s likely the outgoing 2017 edition could also get Android Go features via an update.

Huawei hasn’t made any such intentions known to us, but we’ve seen HMD promising Nokia 2 users that they will receive Go-focused customizations when Android Oreo arrives on the device. Given Huawei’s growing stature in terms of software updates, it is our hope that the Y3 2017 will also receive Go optimizations to ensure users get the most out of the modest specs package it offers.

Usually, entry-level devices of the Y3 2018’s caliber have no guarantee for major software updates. This, in essence, complicates matters with regards to the Y3 2017’s chances of getting Android Oreo Go edition via a software update.

Once again, there’s no guarantee that the Huawei Y3 2017 will receive an update that brings Android Go features to the handset. This is just a hunch that we’d want to see become a reality at some point in future.

Would you like Huawei to bring Android Go optimizations to the Y3 2017? Let us know in your comments below.