A new leak has provided an early glimpse of the Huawei Mate 90 RS Ultimate (also known as the Extraordinary Master edition), suggesting that Huawei’s next ultra-premium flagship will feature a square rear camera module—a design that pays homage to the iconic Mate 20 series.
The information comes from Chinese tipster Dingzhao Digital, who recently hinted that the Mate 90 RS Ultimate would abandon the octagonal camera housing used on recent Mate RS models in favor of a classic square layout. The rumor has generated considerable excitement among Huawei enthusiasts, with many describing it as the return of one of the company’s most memorable smartphone designs.
A Return to a Huawei Classic
If the latest leak proves accurate, the Mate 90 RS Ultimate will mark a significant design shift for Huawei’s flagship lineup.
In recent years, Huawei’s premium Mate RS devices have featured distinctive octagonal camera modules that emphasized luxury styling and visual differentiation. However, the upcoming flagship is reportedly set to revive the square camera island first introduced with the Huawei Mate 20 series in 2018.
The move is widely seen as a tribute to one of Huawei’s most influential smartphone designs—a design that helped define flagship Android devices during its era.
Why the Mate 20 Design Was So Influential
When Huawei launched the Mate 20 series in October 2018, its centrally positioned square camera module immediately stood out in a market dominated by vertically aligned camera arrays.
The symmetrical four-camera arrangement quickly became one of Huawei’s signature design elements, combining visual balance with practical engineering advantages.
Beyond aesthetics, the square layout offered several technical benefits:
- Reduced angular differences between multiple camera sensors
- More efficient internal space utilization
- Better support for advanced multi-camera imaging systems
- A highly recognizable visual identity
The design also resonated with traditional Chinese concepts of symmetry and balance, contributing to its enduring popularity among Huawei fans.
Nearly eight years later, Huawei appears ready to bring this iconic design language back to its flagship portfolio.
Next-Generation Kirin Chip Expected
Beyond its redesigned exterior, the Mate 90 RS Ultimate is also rumored to debut Huawei’s next-generation Kirin processor, reportedly developed using a new architectural concept referred to as the Tao Law.
Unlike conventional semiconductor scaling, which primarily relies on shrinking transistor sizes in accordance with Moore’s Law, the reported approach focuses on improving overall system efficiency through architectural innovation.
According to the leak, the technology emphasizes coordinated optimization across multiple levels, including:
- Semiconductor devices
- Circuit architecture
- Chip design
- System-level optimization
The approach reportedly incorporates techniques such as logic folding to reduce signal propagation delays, enabling higher effective transistor density and improved overall performance without relying solely on smaller manufacturing nodes.
While Huawei has not officially confirmed these technical details, the strategy reflects the industry’s growing emphasis on architectural efficiency alongside traditional process-node advancements.
Launch Expected in September
The Huawei Mate 90 RS Ultimate is expected to debut alongside the broader Mate 90 series this September, continuing Huawei’s annual flagship launch cycle.
As Huawei’s highest-end smartphone, the RS Ultimate model is anticipated to showcase the company’s latest innovations in industrial design, imaging technology, and proprietary silicon.
If current rumors prove accurate, the return of the iconic square camera module could become one of the defining design highlights of the new generation. Combined with a next-generation Kirin chipset and Huawei’s continued focus on premium craftsmanship, the Mate 90 RS Ultimate is shaping up to be one of the company’s most distinctive flagship smartphones in years.
More official details, including specifications, pricing, and global availability, are expected to be revealed during Huawei’s September launch event.