TL;DR
- HUAWEI has unveiled the Mate XTs, with pre-orders now open in China ahead of a September 4 launch.
- Leaker Digital Chat Station claims it will be available in four colors, with 16GB RAM and up to 1TB storage.
- HUAWEI remains the only company to have shipped a tri-fold, though the Mate XTs may be available only in China.
We know that the term “tri-fold” might not make much sense, but it’s the name the industry appears to have settled on in the fledgling years of these three-panel foldables. Most brands are still teasing their first such device, but HUAWEI is already preparing to launch its second. We’ve got a closer look at it today, and I must say, it’s rather alluring.
HUAWEI confirmed the new Mate XTs on Weibo, with pre-orders in China opening today and a full launch event set for September 4 at 2:30 PM local time. The teasers have referred to the device as the Extraordinary Master or Ultimate Design, and the latter is printed directly on the phone’s casing, so it’s likely part of the full name. The design itself looks like an evolution of the first Mate XT, with its outward-folding S-style hinge system.
A follow-up post from reliable leaker Digital Chat Station revealed more practical details: the Mate XTs will ship in Red, Black, Purple, and White, with configurations of 16GB RAM and up to 1TB storage. Other specs weren’t formally confirmed, but the tipster’s previous leak suggested HUAWEI is sticking with an upgraded Kirin 9020 chipset, a new 50MP main sensor with variable aperture, an improved periscope telephoto camera, and satellite connectivity. An “official teaser” for the device was posted to YouTube a couple of days ago, as shown below.
This follows on from the original Mate XT, which already packed high-end specs like a 10.2-inch unfolded OLED display, 66W wired charging, and 50W wireless charging — albeit at a sky-high €3,500 launch price. Even though pre-orders are open for the Mate XTs, the price remains a mystery.
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The Mate XTs will debut just days before the iPhone 17 series, echoing last year’s Mate XT reveal that came right after the iPhone 16 launch. Meanwhile, Samsung has admitted its own tri-fold is production-ready but hasn’t released it, and TECNO has only shown off concept devices. That leaves HUAWEI as the only company that actually ships this form factor.
Global launch plans haven’t been announced, and if the last tri-fold is any guide, availability outside China could be slim. Still, HUAWEI’s second-generation device puts it further ahead in the race for what could become the next major foldable trend.
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