Huawei unveils triple-fold phone with chips free of US restrictions
What's the story
Huawei has unveiled its latest triple-fold smartphone with a new in-house Kirin 9050 Pro chip that the company says is free from US technology restrictions. The chip, which powers the Mate XT2, represents Huawei's latest breakthrough to reduce its dependence on US-linked semiconductor technology amid Washington's continuing curbs on China's access to advanced chips. The new device is an upgrade over its 2024 predecessor and features a built-in privacy display and a new hinge mechanism that folds its displays inwards.
Tech specs
The device packs 4 cameras
The Mate XT2 runs on Huawei's proprietary HarmonyOS and is powered by the new Kirin Pro 9050 chip. This processor promises a 42% performance boost over its predecessor, the Mate XT.
The device also packs four cameras: a 50MP main camera, a 40MP ultra-wide lens, a 50MP periscope camera with 3.5x optical zoom capabilities, and an 8MP selfie shooter.
Price details
The device starts at roughly $3,000
The Mate XT2 sports a tri-fold design that offers three distinct usage modes: a 6.4-inch phone mode, a dual-panel intermediate view of 7.9-inches, and an expansive tablet configuration of 10.2-inches.
The device is not IP-rated for water and dust resistance.
The phone starts at CNY 19,999 (roughly $2,980) for the base model with 16GB RAM and goes up to CNY 29,999 (roughly $4,470) for the collector's edition with 2TB storage.
Market impact
Huawei leads China's smartphone market
Huawei, which doesn't sell smartphones in the US due to sanctions, leads China's smartphone market with a 22.6% share in the second quarter, ahead of Apple's 18.1%.
The launch of Mate XT2 highlights how quickly China's foldable smartphone segment is evolving.