What you need to know
- Huawei has launched the first tri-fold phone in China with an immersive, tablet-like 10.2-inch experience when fully unfolded.
- The Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design features a textured leather back panel with a circular, triple camera array consisting of a 50MP primary lens with OIS and a f/1.4 aperture.
- The device is available in China for a starting price of ¥19,999 (~$2,808).
The Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design has officially launched as the world’s first tri-fold phone, and it’s not cheap.
Huawei’s Mate XT features a textured leather backing and gold finishes around its design. With rounded corners, the Chinese OEM looks to create a comfortable experience no matter the orientation. When fully closed and used as a single screen, the Mate XT features a 6.4-inch OLED display with a 240Hz refresh rate and 1,440Hz PWM dimming rate.
Users can unfold the phone’s display once to expand the viewing experience to 7.9 inches. Finally, when Huawei’s tri-fold device is fully open, users will find an immersive, tablet-like 10.2-inch display. This final display measurement enables 3K resolution and Huawei’s “golden” screen ratio of 16:11.
Huawei stresses that users can utilize the Mate XT in any configuration (singular, double, or triple) and that the device OS will accommodate their choice. When folded, the phone measures 12.8mm in thickness, less than a full millimeter thicker than the Galaxy Z Fold 6. With the dual-screen view, it measures 7.45mm at its thickest point, and when fully unfolded, it measures as little as 3.6mm thick.
Durability is a hot topic, so the company states its screens feature a “composite” laminated structure. This reportedly keeps the phone’s displays thin while retaining enough strength to withstand wear and tear. Similarly, the company developed a new hinge structure that achieves “internal and external bending for the first time.” Huawei says that its dual-track system aids in stable folding/unfolding.
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The circular camera array offers three lenses: a 50MP primary lens with OIS (optical image stabilization), a 12MP ultrawide-angle lens, and a 12MP periscope lens. Huawei touts its XMAGE imaging system on the Mate XT and that its rear array offers 10 variable aperture levels. The primary lens can go from f/1.4 to f/4.0, likely aiding users in taking photos in various lighting conditions and focal points.
The device’s front-facing selfie camera has an 8MP lens. The Mate XT only has one forward-facing camera, and it’s positioned on the initial singular display before unfolding.
Huawei has implemented a few key features on the Mate XT, such as those with a heavy AI background. The on-device AI tools can help users “write, polish, or translate” text and edit pictures. Moreover, the company’s AI assistant can be surfaced and used in split screen mode.
Additionally, the Mate XT features Tiantong Satellite Communication. This isn’t the first Huawei phone to use satellite communication, and a similar method has been seen on the likes of Google’s Pixel 9 through Satellite SOS. Huawei’s version is expected to function similarly as consumers can keep in touch with important contacts even without a cellular signal.
Huawei has included its HarmonyOS 4.2, 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of internal storage in the Mate XT.
Energy-wise, the tri-fold contains a thin silicon-based 5,600mAh battery. Huawei parades its “long-lasting” abilities but doesn’t offer information about how much time users may get from it. It’s entirely likely that the battery’s longevity will depend on how many screens you’re using and to what extent. However, the phone receives 66W wired fast charging and 50W wirelessly charging.
Huawei’s Mate XT Ultimate Design has launched in China, starting at ¥19,999 (~$2,808). Consumers can purchase the device in a red or black colorway. It’s unclear if this device will see a global debut.
