Huawei Ascend Mate2 smartphone now available for pre-order in US

Chinese electronics manufacturer Huawei opened up its Ascend Mate2 4G LTE smartphone device for pre-order in the United States, available at GetHuawei.com. The device will retail for $299, and consumers don't have to worry about partnering with wireless service providers.

The Ascend Mate2 has a 6.1-inch screen (1280x720), 1.6GHz CPU, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. Huawei chose Google Android 4.3 Jelly Bean to run the phone.

"This year, Huawei is ready to challenge the status quo by delivering premium experiences, well-made and well-priced devices in a totally new way," said Zhiqiang Xu, Huawei Devices USA President, in a statement.

The U.S. smartphone market is dominated by Apple and Samsung, but Huawei - the No. 3 smartphone manufacturer in the world - could battle for market share in the extremely lucrative market. Consumers might still choose the Galaxy S5 or iPhone 5, but this could prove to be a great marketing tool for future efforts.