The Huawei P50 will launch with the Kirin 9000E processor, thereby becoming the new Lite variant

Huawei's flagship P-series of smartphones has come to contain Pro variants over the years - as well as various other spin-offs that typically include Pro+ and Lite models. The OEM ostensibly does so in order to cover every section of the market possible with the same, mobile photography-synonym of a product name.

However, there are now signs that it might have seen the need to streamline this approach in 2021. It comes in the form of a new leak from RODENT950, who claims that Huawei will restrict itself to releasing the P50, P50 Pro and P50 Pro+. That might be it for the P40 successors in 2021.

Then again, there might be a bargain or two to be found within this new, simplified line. According to the new leak, the P50 is being made with the Kirin 9000E rather than the "full-fat" 9000 processor. This flagship SoC - which is also found in the Mate 40 series and will also probably feature in the upcoming Mate X2 foldable phablet - is reserved for the P50 Pro and Pro+.

This alleged decision might be connected to rumors that Huawei is running out of Kirin 9000 stock, with no access to the IP needed to make any more. Then again, the 9000E is not that much of a step down: it contains most components from the 9000, its 6.0 image processor and Balong 5000 modem included. Then again, it has a 22-core GPU as opposed to the flagship's 24-core unit, as well as a dual-core NPU as opposed to a triple-core in the "full" chipset.

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