By CNet
Apple isn’t known for its iPhone’s battery capacities — and Huawei wants to help.
The Chinese phone maker took to the streets outside Singapore’s Apple Store to give out power banks to buyers queuing to be one of the first to get Apple’s newest iPhones, and conducted a similar stunt in London this morning with a “juice” van offering both electricity and drinks with “no traces of Apple.”
The Singapore stunt was carried out at 11 p.m. local time the night before Apple opened its doors, Huawei confirmed to CNET in an email.
The reason for the friendly handout was to “offer respite from the weather and grueling wait,” according to a representative, who added that more than 200 of the company’s 10,000mAh Huawei Supercharge power banks were distributed.
On the cover of the power bank’s packaging is a tagline that reads, “Here’s a power bank. You’ll need it. Courtesy of Huawei.” The move comes after a Facebook post from the day before suggesting the P20 Pro has a “looong-lasting battery.”
In London, Huawei trolled Apple’s flagship store by rolling up a mobile juice bar, and proceeded to hand out drinks with “no traces of apple,” as well as a charging station that could plug in an armful of phones at a time.
We make juice that lasts… A #HigherIntelligence is coming. 16.10.18 pic.twitter.com/Pa2jIsZVkU
— Huawei Mobile UK (@HuaweiMobileUK) September 21, 2018
It’s not the first time Apple has had competition from Huawei, which surpassed the iPhone maker to become the world’s second biggest phone seller in July. Following Apple’s Sept. 12 event that revealed its new phones, Huawei CEO Richard Yu posted on his Weibo page: “No problem now, see you in London on Oct. 16!”
Huawei Mobile proceeded to post a series of similarly cryptic tweets.
Thank you for keeping things the same. See you in London. 16.10.18 #HigherIntelligence #HUAWEIMate20 pic.twitter.com/ZhZHj9Xg3s
— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) September 12, 2018
Thank you for letting us be the real hero of the year. See you in London.16.10.18. #HigherIntelligence #HUAWEIMate20 pic.twitter.com/blwOcweRj1
— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) September 12, 2018
Huawei users aren’t too happy about the battery stunt, though, with some taking to its Facebook page to criticise the phone maker for gifting the power bank — retailing at S$98 (about $72) — to iPhone users instead of Huawei users.
Related:
Android users, this is why you shouldn’t envy iPhone owners
Why Apple doesn’t promote itself on social media
