Huawei is trying to outshine Apple's iPhone Ultra launch with a cutting-edge new tri-fold
Who needs a phone that can fold once when you can get a double-folding device with up to 10.2 inches of screen real estate... in China?
That's an actual secondary screen on the back of the Mate XT 2. | Image by Huawei
If you're excited about the expected September 9 announcement of Apple's long overdue first foldable iPhone, you might want to spare a minute or two to look at the Huawei Mate XT 2 Ultimate Design today as well.
Despite what the (unnecessarily lengthy) name suggests, this is actually the third entry in the Chinese tech giant's Mate XT line, following in the footsteps of a groundbreaking first edition from 2024 and a rather repetitive second-gen "s" model from last year. Huawei could have easily skipped a digit or two in branding its new tri-fold device, as the internal upgrades and especially the cosmetic (and functionality) changes are radical this time around.
Behold one of the world's most impressive foldable spec sheets
- 10.2-inch primary OLED screen with 3184 x 2232 pixel resolution and 90Hz refresh rate technology;
- 6.5-inch secondary OLED screen with 2442 x 1140 pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate support;
- Privacy display (optional);
- Kirin 9050 Pro processor;
- HarmonyOS 7.0;
- 16GB RAM;
- 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage variants;
- 50MP primary rear-facing camera with OIS and variable f/1.49-f/4.0 aperture;
- 40MP secondary ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture;
- 50MP tertiary periscope telephoto sensor with f/2.2 aperture;
- 8MP front-facing camera with f/2.4 aperture;
- 8MP cover camera with f/2.4 aperture;
- 5,600mAh battery;
- 66W wired charging support;
- 50W wireless charging technology;
- IP58 and IP59 water and dust resistance;
- Bluetooth 6.0;
- USB Type-C 3.1 port;
- 219.2 x 157.2 x 3.5-4mm dimensions (unfolded);
- 77 x 157.2 x 12.3mm dimensions (folded);
- 299 grams weight;
- Purple, black, and white color options.
Yes, Huawei is very clearly taking a page from Samsung's playbook
While Huawei was the world's first company to unveil a double-folding (or tri-fold, as it's more commonly known) device two years ago, Samsung quickly followed suit with a... fundamentally different Galaxy Z TriFold.
The Mate XT 2 looks extremely cool. | Image by Huawei
The Mate XT 2 now somehow resembles Samsung's first (and so far, only) tri-fold handset more closely than its own forerunners, using two distinct displays rather than a single outward-folding one that could pull double triple duty at 10.2, 7.9, and 6.4-inch sizes.
Yes, the new 10.2-inch screen folds inwards to stay better protected against drops and scratches when you use the 6.5-inch secondary panel with 120Hz refresh rate capabilities, and get this, up to 6500 nits of brightness. That's a big number, and it's very nicely balanced out by the mind-blowing product thickness ranging from 3.5 to 4mm when the main display is unfurled and 12.3mm when the tablet-grade panel is not in use.
That basically makes the Huawei Mate XT 2 (Ultimate Design) thinner than its direct rival at all points, and yes, the newcomer is also a little lighter... despite sporting a slightly bigger primary screen.
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The prices are... not great
- 19,999 yuan ($2,980) with 256GB storage;
- 21,999 yuan ($3,278) with 512GB storage;
- 23,999 yuan ($3,576) with 1TB storage;
- 24,999 yuan ($3,725) with 1TB storage and Privacy Display;
- 29,999 yuan ($4,470) with 2TB storage.
Even compared to what we're expecting Apple to charge for the iPhone Ultra, that's a lot of money... but it definitely makes sense. After all, this is currently the pinnacle of smartphone design innovation (at least until slidables and rollables start to, well, roll out), and the Mate XT 2's Chinese price points are not very far from what Samsung charged for the first-gen Galaxy Z TriFold (in limited numbers) in the US, for instance.
Will tri-fold devices ever become mainstream?
11 Votes
Besides, the double-folding design (which is clearly extremely costly to get right) is far from the only sophisticated thing here, with those cameras, that battery capacity, the charging speeds, the optional Privacy Display feature, and even the water and dust resistance ratings all sounding... incredibly hard to beat by a similar product in the near future.
The Mate XT 2 is obviously bigger than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and upcoming iPhone Ultra. | Image by Huawei
One of the cameras comes with variable aperture, mind you, which is something we expect the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max to rival but not the iPhone Ultra, while the Galaxy Z TriFold trails behind the Huawei Mate XT 2 with pretty much everything from its 45W wired and 15W wireless charging support to its unremarkable secondary and tertiary cameras and modest IP48 water and dust protection.
Should you buy this thing or wait for the iPhone Ultra?
Unfortunately, that's not really a... practical question. That's because the Huawei Mate XT 2 is only available in China for the time being, although I do expect select European markets to join the party in the relatively near future... at even higher prices.
It's hard to say what the Mate XT 2's best color is. | Image by Huawei
Now, if you can afford to pay three or four thousand bucks for a (futuristic) mobile device and wait a few weeks (hopefully not longer), my advice would be to carefully consider your needs and the practical use cases of a product with 10.2 and 6.5-inch screens.
This is not as versatile as the original Mate XT, remember, and it also can't be used as a more "traditional" book-style foldable like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the upcoming iPhone Ultra will hold a key advantage in the convenience department as well, but if you want to make all your friends jealous by owning something ripped out of a sci-fi movie, this is definitely the cooler product.
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