Huawei Goes Big With Ascend Mate And Ascend D2

It looks like Huawei is aiming to make a big splash in the smartphone market this year, as the company took the stage at CES to show off two new large premium devices, the Ascend Mate and Ascend D2.

Sporting a massive 6.1-inch 720p HD display, the Ascend Mate more resembles a mini-tablet than a smartphone, putting other phablets like the Galaxy Note II to shame. Yet, the device's most notable spec is its battery, which ranks in at 4050mAh and can provide up to 48 hours of power, according to Huawei. By comparison, the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD currently offers the largest battery capacity for smartphones with a 3,300mAh battery.

Powered by a Hi-Silicon 1.5GHz quad-core processor, the device will run Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) with a user interface optimized for one-hand usage, with extras such as a keyboard that sits to either side of the device and a Samsung-esque Floating Windows option. Other features are going to include an 8-megapixel camera, a front-facing shooter and a microSD slot.

Coming in on the (relatively) smaller side is the Ascend D2, which will house a 5-inch LCD screen with a 1080 x 1920 resolution and a pixel density of 443ppi. Like its larger cousin, the D2 is going to pack a quad-core 1.5GHz K3V3 chipset and will run Android 4.1 with some special software tweaks from the Chinese manufacturer. The handset will also feature a 13-megapixel rear-camera and a 3,000mAh battery.

Both smartphones will don aluminum frames and sport slim designs, with the Ascend D2 said to measure in at 9.9mm thin. Offered in glossy black or white, the Ascend Mate and D2 will be made available in China later this month and will hit Japan and Europe at a later date. No word yet on prices or when the devices will hit other areas, though Huawei is apparently in talks with U.S. carriers.