This Is What A $2,800 Foldable ‘Accordion’ Phone Will Get You. And Yes, Real People Can Buy It

Huawei is the world’s first company to bring a tri-fold phone to stores. The company announced the new Mate XT Ultimate Design on Tuesday, just hours after Apple announced the iPhone 16 lineup, in a bid to overshadow its American rival, particularly in China.

The Mate XT Ultimate Design looks like a regular phone when folded, but it can expand into what Huawei is calling dual- and triple-screen modes. The dual-screen resembles a square, while the triple-screen offers the experience of a 10.2-inch tablet. The Chinese tech giant says the display, which can fold twice, is made of flexible materials that can bend in either direction. Huawei attributes this to its hinge system, which it says “includes two tracks that work together to fold inward and outward.” This allows it to switch between single-, dual- and triple-screen modes.

The base version starts at 19,999 yuan (around $2,800; £2,199; AU$4,245) and goes up to 23,999 yuan, or $3,370, for the highest-storage variant. The triple-decker phone has already racked up more than 4 million pre-orders, with no deposit required, following Huawei’s launch event in Shenzhen, according to the company’s online storeCurrently it is only available in China.

Given its hefty price tag, it’s unlikely that the Mate XT Ultimate Design will be a major sales driver for Huawei. But winning the foldables race remains a key ambition for the Chinese company, which has seen its smartphone division collapse in the wake of several rounds of US sanctions in recent years. In fact, Huawei has taken over the lead in the global foldables market, according to a Q2 report from IDC, with Huawei taking over the top spot from Samsung with a 27.5% global market share, while Samsung took 16.4%.

According to the research firm, the global foldable market is expected to reach 25 million units by the end of 2024, up 37.6% from the 18.1 million units shipped in 2023. International Data CorporationIDC predicts that the total number of foldable phones worldwide will reach 45.7 million units by 2028.

“Huawei’s latest product’s production constraints and price point may not have a major impact on shipments, but it tells consumers it is still the technology leader and the potential challenge it poses to Apple could go far beyond just market share,” IDC’s Will Wong told CNET. “The absence of AI features in the latest iPhone 16 series in China could intensify the challenge for Apple in the local market.”

Huawei’s new foldable phone highlights the progress that Apple’s rivals have made in innovating in this newer subcategory of phones. Apple’s first foldable phone is reportedly not expected until 2025, while current rumors point to a flip phone. Apple unveiled the iPhone 16 lineup just hours before Huawei’s event. However, Apple Intelligence, the US company’s AI platform that many consider to be a key feature in the lineup, is not yet available in mainland China. In order to make it available, Apple would first have to partner with a local Chinese AI company due to local regulations.

Apple’s iPhone sales in China continued to struggle in the second quarter of 2024, with the U.S. tech giant losing ground to local rivals Huawei and Xiaomi, knocking Apple out of the top five phone makers there, according to IDC.

In addition to the foldable display, the Mate XT has a total of four cameras, including a periscope-style telephoto lens. Huawei said there is also a physical aperture on the device, which can be used for different shooting scenarios. The aperture on the camera lens determines how much light enters the camera. Most cameras have a fixed aperture, or opening, meaning the amount of light entering cannot change. More recent flagship phones have variable apertures, but in most cases, they are not physical apertures.

The concept of a tri-fold phone isn’t new. CNET’s Jessica Dolcourt got a sneak peek at a TLC concept back in 2019 . And Samsung gave us a glimpse of tri-fold display concepts at CES 2022 . But so far, none have been released or mass-produced for commercial sale.

Key Specifications

Cover screen: 6.4 inch
Double screen: 7.9 inches
Triple screen: 10.2 inches
Rear view camera: 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, 12-megapixel periscope telephoto camera
Front camera: 8 megapixel
Battery: 5,600mAh battery
Storage: 16GB + 256GB, 16GB + 512GB, 16GB + 1TB
Special features: Tri-fold design, AI functions, satellite communication, stylus support, keyboard attachment