HUAWEI Technologies Co., the world’s No.3 smartphone maker, will use the launch of a new flagship phone in Paris on Tuesday to make fresh gains in Europe.

    With camera-rich features and aggressive pricing, the P20 series represents Huawei’s latest attempt to compete head-to-head with Samsung’s Galaxy S9 and the iPhone X in the increasingly indistinguishable market for smartphones.

    The P20 premium version, P20 Pro, comes with a triple camera and sensors that offer top-notch image definition among existing smartphones, Huawei said, in a clear response to camera upgrades for the Galaxy S9 unveiled in Barcelona last month.

    The basic P20 will be priced at 649 euros (US$804) while the Pro model will run 899 euros, Huawei said at the Paris launch event. By contrast, the Galaxy S9 sells for around 739 euros and 869 euros for the deluxe S9+ version, according to Samsung’s site.

    Europe is a lynchpin of Huawei’s ambition eventually to become the world’s No. 2 phone supplier. Europe has been insulated from some of the intense competitive pressures Huawei faces from domestic rivals in its home market.

    “The challenge for Huawei is to strengthen its brand personality and to steal more market share in Europe, given its absence from the U.S. market,” said Thomas Husson, a consumer devices analyst at research firm Forrester.

    Shipments to Europe grew more than 50 percent in the first half of 2017, Huawei said. In two big markets — Italy and Spain — Huawei now ships more phones than Apple and is closing in on Samsung, according to market research firm Counterpoint.

    Across Western Europe, Huawei’s market share has risen in recent years to 12 percent, Counterpoint Research estimates.

    Huawei’s weakest European markets are Britain, with 5 percent share and France, where it ships 6 percent of the smartphones sold, but it is seeking to build its presence. (SD-Agencies)