HUAWEI pushes smartphone photography storytelling through XMAGE Awards 2026

HUAWEI is once again spotlighting the growing role of smartphone photography in visual storytelling as it officially opened the global XMAGE Awards 2026, inviting users to capture authentic moments using Huawei devices, including the flagship HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro.

The annual competition, now considered one of Huawei’s major global photography initiatives, challenges creators to turn everyday scenes into compelling visual narratives through mobile imaging technology.

Carrying the theme “Now Is Your Shot,” this year’s edition focuses on authenticity and perspective, encouraging participants to document moments that reflect emotion, culture, movement, and human experience through smartphone photography.

Participants may submit entries under nine categories, including “So Far So Close,” “Good Night,” “Faces,” “Storyboard,” and “Experimental Lab.”

Huawei said 100 winning entries will be selected for the XMAGE 100 roster, with 97 creators receiving a USD 1,500 creator fund, while three grand winners will receive USD 10,000 each. Winners are set to be recognized in November at the Grand Palais in Paris, France.

Beyond the competition itself, Huawei is also using the initiative to highlight how smartphone imaging technologies are increasingly being used to document local culture, tourism, and daily life.

In the Philippines, Huawei partnered with regional offices of the Department of Tourism to showcase destinations across Albay, Cebu, Marinduque, Bohol, and Iligan City using the Mate 80 Pro’s imaging system.

Huawei said the collaboration aims to encourage creators to capture destinations beyond “postcard-perfect” shots by documenting more authentic and immersive moments from local communities and landscapes.

Among the featured locations were Mayon Volcano, Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary, Panagsama Beach in Cebu, and the Sikyop Underground River in Iligan City.

The Mate 80 Pro features a True-to-Colour Camera system, a 50MP Ultra Lighting Camera for low-light photography, and a 48MP telephoto macro camera designed for long-range and detailed shots. Huawei also highlighted the device’s AI Composition feature, which assists users in framing and optimizing photos automatically.

The smartphone also carries IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance, allowing it to operate in more demanding environments often associated with travel and outdoor photography.

Huawei said submissions for the XMAGE Awards 2026 are open until Aug. 16 through the competition’s official website.

The HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro is currently priced at PHP 69,999 in the Philippines, with promotional discounts available through Huawei’s online and retail channels until May 31.