FOLDABLE PHONE

Huawei has launched the Mate XT Ultimate Design, a foldable phone that unfolds into a 10.2-inch tablet. Touted as the “first-ever commercial triple foldable phone,” its standout feature is a flexible OLED screen with dual hinges for folding in both directions. When fully unfolded, the 10.2-inch, 3,000-pixel screen provides “cinema-level immersive viewing” with a 16:11 aspect ratio. The device automatically switches between single, dual, and triple screen modes as it unfolds, with dual-screen mode offering a square-like display, and full mode functioning like a tablet. Huawei developed a unique hinge system with two tracks to allow the triple-fold screen to fold both inward and outward. The hinges use 26 precision cams for smooth folding, made from reinforced steel for added durability. The phone uses a connecting rod and slide rail system to keep the hinge slim, making it 12.8 mm thick when folded and just 3.6 mm at its thinnest when unfolded. Despite its thin design, the screen is strong due to a composite layered structure that resists pressure on the inner fold and tension on the outer fold. Huawei suggests using the fully unfolded mode for reading books or magazines across two pages or handling email and apps like on a tablet. The phone features four cameras, including one with a ten-stop variable aperture telephoto lens for precise light control. As part of Huawei’s premium “Ultimate Design” label, it showcases crafted details like layered steel along the case edges and an octagonal camera housing. The back is wrapped in red or black leather, with the Ultimate Design logo in gold to match the metal components. Huawei launched the Mate XT just hours after Apple revealed its iPhone 16 lineup. Despite holding a 2016 patent, Apple has yet to release a foldable phone. Huawei first introduced its Mate X in 2019, featuring a single-fold design similar to the Mate XT. That same year, other brands like Microsoft and Motorola also released foldable phones, with Motorola revamping its Razr flip phone. The company has been faced with sanctions from countries including the United States, which sees it as a national security risk despite Huawei’s denials. The Mate XT smartphone will go on sale on 20 September but is expected to be available only in China.