Huawei P9 release date, specs news: Handset confirmed to have 4 versions, sleek metal body

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

Although Huawei has yet to confirm the release date for its upcoming flagship, fans who are waiting for the P9 already have a good idea what it looks like and what its specs are. This is thanks to an exclusive first look by an industry observer.

Noted tech industry tipster Evan Blass, in a report by VentureBeat, shared the first real-life images of the upcoming Huawei P9. According to Blass, the exclusive was made possible by an insider and, reportedly, the unnamed insider also gave a full rundown of the product's specs sheet.

One detail about the upcoming flagship that is confirmed by the exclusive is that the Huawei P9 is a lineup rather than a single product. According to Blass's source, the P9 will have four variants. Much like the previous P8 lineup, the upcoming follow-up will expand its range, adding three models to the base model. The lineup will have its own budget-friendly Lite version, as well as a larger-screened variant, like the P8 Max. The fourth iteration will be a premium version of the P9.

The industry follower also bared the essentials of the P9, and based on the captured images, the upcoming Huawei flagship is a sleek, slim-profiled smartphone with an all-metal frame. Under the hood, the Huawei P9 is said to carry an octa-core Kirin 950 processor paired with 3 GB of RAM (for the base model), and a massive 3,900 mAh battery. The four versions will also release with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow right out of the box.

According to GSM Arena, the images confirmed earlier speculations about the upcoming lineup, as the design of the P9 closely matches previous renders by industry followers, from the all-metal and round-cornered body, to the dual-cam and dual-lens setup for the P9's main shooter on the back.