Huawei has announced the UK launch of its new P8 Lite 2017, an updated version of its popular mid-range smartphone. The handset features a much-improved set of specs compared with its predecessor, and will ship with Android 7.0 Nougat onboard, with Huawei's own EMUI 5.0 user experience baked in.

The device's key specs include:

5.2-inch IPS LCD with Full HD (1920x1080px) resolution

Octa-core Kirin 655 processor (4 x 2.1GHz A53; 4 x 1.7GHz A53)

3GB RAM

16GB onboard storage (plus microSD card support up to 256GB)

12MP rear camera with phase detection autofocus, f/2.2 aperture and LED flash

8MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture

4G LTE connectivity

Dual-SIM support

802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi

Bluetooth 4.1

USB 2.0 port with Type-B connector

3000mAh battery

147.2 x 73 x 7.63mm; 147g

The P8 Lite 2017 will launch first on Vodafone in the UK; it will be available in black, but only in Vodafone's retail stores or via its phone sales line, before eventually being offered online too. Priced at £185 on pay-as-you-go, or on contract from £16 a month, it will go on sale on February 1.

Meanwhile, last year's P8 Lite remains available at some UK retailers, so if you're planning to buy the new model, make sure you don't get the old one by mistake. Carphone Warehouse, for example, is selling the previous P8 Lite for £179.99 - but it has a smaller, low-resolution display (5-inch 720p), less RAM (2GB), older processor (Kirin 620), and ships with Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.

Huawei will be launching a new high-end handset at next month's Mobile World Congress. An image of the anticipated P10 flagship emerged last week.