When it comes to super-sized smartphones, Samsung’s Galaxy Note II is the hottest “phablet” on the market right now. But other large handsets continue to pop up with a bid to steal its crown. In early 2012, the Huawei Ascend Mate will have a go, and as large smartphones go, this one’s a beast.

In addition to a whopping 6.1-inch 1080p display, the Ascend Mate will offer a 1.8GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, with a high-capacity 4,000 mAh battery to keep it all running. It’ll measure 9.9mm thick.

The handset first appeared back in October, but Huawei’s Senior Vice President Yu Chengdong only made it official this week. It’s coming in early 2013, Chengdong says, and it’ll be a direct competitor to the Galaxy Note II. To ensure it can compete, Chengdong has been using both Samsung’s handset and Huawei’s own Ascend Mate on a daily basis.

He also insists the Ascend Mate will be cheaper than the Galaxy Note II — despite its larger display — though the exact price of the handset is yet to be confirmed. Chengdong has also remained quiet about where exactly the handset will be available. We’re assuming it’ll pop up in China, Huawei’s homeland, first — but it’s unclear if it will reach international markets.

With the Ascend Mate, it seems the line increasingly fine line between smartphone and tablet is about to be blurred. I felt the Galaxy Note II’s 5.5-inch display was just about the biggest you could pack into a smartphone without making it too big, yet Huawei clearly disagrees.

Is anyone really going to carry a 6.1-inch smartphone around all day?

• ViaPhandroid