New Delhi: In a strategic masterstroke timed just hours before Apple’s highly anticipated annual event, Chinese tech giant Huawei has sent shockwaves through the global technology market. The company officially unveiled its second-generation tri-fold smartphone, the Huawei Mate XT 2 Ultimate Design, setting a new engineering benchmark in the premium foldable device segment.
The launch arrives as tech enthusiasts eagerly await Apple’s September 9 “Surprise and Shine” event, where market chatter suggests the Cupertino giant might finally introduce its first foldable iPhone. However, Huawei’s pre-emptive strike demonstrates the firm grip Chinese manufacturers currently hold on foldable technology innovations.
The centerpiece of the Huawei Mate XT 2 is its revolutionary expandable display. In its closed state, the device operates with a standard 6.5-inch outer screen boasting a 120Hz refresh rate and a staggering peak brightness of 6,500 nits. When fully unfolded, the device transforms into a massive 10.2-inch 3K tablet-like display. According to the company, the device incorporates a unique hardware-based privacy display, intentionally limiting viewing angles to prevent onlookers from peeking at the screen. Huawei has also re-engineered the folding mechanism, introducing an inward-folding G-shape hinge designed to maximize screen safety when closed.
Under the hood, the tri-fold marvel is powered by the newly developed Kirin 9050 Pro processor, which the company claims delivers a 42 percent performance boost over its predecessor. The device is equipped with 16GB of RAM and offers massive storage configurations up to 2TB.
For photography, a robust rear camera module is situated on the middle panel. The setup houses a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom, and a 40-megapixel ultra-wide camera. For selfies and video calls, the smartphone features 8-megapixel front-facing cameras on both screens.
Despite the complex engineering of three folding panels, the Huawei Mate XT 2 maintains a surprisingly sleek profile, measuring just 3.5mm in thickness when fully open and weighing 299 grams. The smartphone packs a 5,600mAh battery supporting 66W wired and 50W wireless fast charging. Operating on Huawei’s HarmonyOS 7, the device is heavily fortified against the elements with IP58 and IP59 ratings for dust and water resistance.
Pricing for the Huawei Mate XT 2 places it strictly in the ultra-premium luxury category. The base variant is priced at CNY 19,999 (approximately Rs 2.81 lakh), while the top-tier Collector’s Edition with 2TB of storage commands a massive CNY 29,999 (around Rs 4.22 lakh).
The smartphone is scheduled to hit the shelves in China starting September 10. The company has not yet issued an official statement regarding a timeline for its global market release.