Yes, we are aware that the Mate 30 is ten months away. After all, the Mate 20 was just announced in October, and the P30 should arrive around May. Still, the images you are seeing above and below set the tone for a different story. We’re looking at renders of a patent filed by Huawei with the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration), published on January 1.

We can instantly recognize the Mate 20-like camera arrangement, but the opening on these cases is much larger, as in taller. While this could mean nothing else than the fact that Huawei is experimenting, it could also mean that the opening is taller because it has to fit more cameras. The Mate 20 Pro has three cameras arranged in an L-shape, in addition to an LED flash that makes up the square.

If Huawei would add an additional row of cameras for a total number of five, it would require a case to have an opening like the one you’re seeing in these images. And, as usual, when it comes to patents, you know the drill: just because it’s patented it doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll see a similar commercially available product. Time will tell, though.