Huawei P9 release date, specs, features: Upcoming flagship confirmed to have Leica camera?

The dual-cam, dual-lens setup on the Huawei P9, as captured by VentureBeat.Evan Blass/VentureBeat

As the supposed launch date of the Huawei P9 draws near, teasers on the upcoming flagship continue to crop up. One of the most highlighted features of the Huawei P9 is its camera, and it is now confirmed that the main camera setup is made in partnership with Leica, one of the foremost brands in the imaging industry.

According to a post on Huawei's German blogsite, the announcement is made by Huawei deputy chairman Guo Ping in a recent company press conference in Shenzen, China. Ping has been quoted as saying, "We are going to launch our flagship P9 phone very soon and this is a product that we worked with Leica to produce," directly confirming the partnership.

Meanwhile, another supposed confirmation of the Leica camera is a supposed leaked image of the back panel of a working version of the flagship. According to GSM Arena, the new image shows the back panel of the Huawei P9, highlighting the dual-lens camera setup. Interestingly, the back panel also shows the "Leica" branding, and lists the camera specs as having a Summarit lens, an f/2.2 aperture, and 27 mm equivalent focal length.

Leica itself may have hinted at the upcoming partnership with Huawei at a recent interview. According to Oliver Kaltner, company CEO, Leica is committed to adapt to a changing environment, and already sees a merger with technology beyond single-purpose cameras. Kaltner said, "As long as we keep this focus, we will always deliver products that appeal. Will there be a reshuffle in the product categories? Yes! Will we see mergers of different products? Absolutely! Is it my wish that the camera will be a part of this world of mobile devices with tablets, phablets and smartphones? No doubt! Therefore I must aim to find technological solutions that best integrate the camera into the WLAN environment."