Huawei WATCH GT Runner debuts February 26 in Madrid alongside Mate 80 Pro

Huawei will unveil its next-generation HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner on February 26 in Madrid — a watch that elite athletes have already been secretly testing in Dubai. According to Huawei's announcement, the professional running watch debuts alongside the new Mate 80 Pro smartphone and HUAWEI MatePad Mini tablet, marking the company's return to flagship launches after a three-year hiatus.

Elite testing at Dubai's Burj2Burj Half Marathon

The unreleased WATCH GT Runner has already proven itself on Dubai's streets. Several world-class runners from the dsm-firmenich Running Team were spotted wearing the watch during the Burj2Burj Half Marathon earlier this month, giving it real-world testing before the official debut.

This public appearance wasn't accidental — Huawei has spent five years developing this watch with direct input from over 100 professional runners. The company fed real-world data from world-class athletes, including heart rate zones and lactate threshold fluctuations, directly into its advanced algorithms.

For context, Huawei's previous GT6 Pro watch focused on premium materials and battery life. The GT Runner takes a different approach — accuracy over aesthetics.

TruSense and Sunflower tech promise accuracy leap

The next-generation WATCH GT Runner features Huawei's proprietary TruSense and Sunflower positioning technologies. These promise what Huawei calls "a generational leap in accuracy" for heart rate zones, lactate threshold, and GPS tracking in complex terrains.

The watch targets the professional athletic market specifically — not the casual fitness crowd that Huawei's luxury watches typically serve. Machine learning models provide fatigue assessment and scientific exercise guidance, features developed through sustained R&D investment.

What's different here is the focus on challenging environments. The watch maintains accurate positioning for stable route and pace data even in complex terrains — something previous generations struggled with during competitive testing.

Mate 80 Pro marks flagship return

The Madrid event also introduces the Mate 80 Pro smartphone, marking the Mate Series' return after a three-year absence. Huawei describes this as making "a powerful statement" with the flagship device, though specific features remain undisclosed.

The all-new HUAWEI MatePad Mini rounds out the launch trio, expanding Huawei's ecosystem beyond phones and watches. This represents a significant product refresh for the company, which has maintained steady releases in the UAE market with devices like the nova 14 throughout 2025.

UAE launch details pending

Huawei hasn't announced UAE pricing or availability dates for any of the three products launching in Madrid. The February 26 event focuses on global debuts, with regional rollouts typically following weeks later.

Given that elite athletes were already testing the WATCH GT Runner in Dubai, UAE availability seems likely. Previous Huawei watches launched in the UAE within 4-6 weeks of global announcements, with the company maintaining strong retail presence across major electronics stores.

The Madrid launch represents Huawei's biggest product event in years, with three distinct categories launching simultaneously after sustained R&D investment.

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