The foldable phone market just took a massive leap forward with the arrival of Huawei’s Mate XT. This isn’t your average foldable—it’s the world’s first tri-fold smartphone, and it’s creating quite the buzz. But while it’s a stunning piece of engineering, the Mate XT is more of a tech showcase than a device most people will use.
Here’s a closer examination of what makes it unique—and why it may not make it into your pocket anytime soon.
The Triple-Fold Revolution
Up to this point, foldables have held on to two primary designs: the clamshell and the book form factor. Huawei is turning everything on its head with the Mate XT. It has two hinges, morphing from a typical 6.4-inch phone to a bigger 7.9-inch screen, and then folding once more into a colossal 10.2-inch tablet.
That’s a lot of display in a surprisingly small footprint—ideal for viewing movies, surfing content, or playing games on the move. For individuals who often carry both a tablet and a phone, this size could be heaven on earth.
Surprising Engineering Finesse
You might anticipate a two-hinge phone to be flimsy or clumsy, but not here. The hinge mechanisms are smooth, robust, and elegant, with none of the unpleasant crunch or looseness. With all this sophistication in design, the Mate XT feels robust and trustworthy, yet it is under 300 grams.
Huawei has put some serious time and engineering into making the fold action smooth and pleasing—a necessity for a device this unusual.
Three Devices in One
How is the day-to-day use? The Mate XT provides an incredibly smooth experience. Close it, and it’s a standard smartphone. Open one hinge, and you have a square screen perfect for multitasking. Open both, and you’re holding a thin, light tablet with a screen better suited for streaming video, reading, or productivity.
It’s an uncommon device that adapts to your needs, without ever being too bulky or complicated.
Next-Generation Battery Technology
The Mate XT also breaks ground under the bonnet, courtesy of a silicon-carbon battery—a notch above traditional lithium-ion cells. This newer technology packs greater energy density, quicker charging, and a thinner profile.
Despite all that screen space, the Mate XT has a 5,600mAh battery, sufficient to power a full day of normal usage. It can exhaust quicker in complete tablet mode, but in general, performance is excellent for its size and versatility.
No Sacrifices on Cameras
One of the few places where most foldables skimp is on the camera system, but not so here. The Mate XT has a three-lens configuration: a 50MP primary camera with optical image stabilization and variable aperture, a 3x optical zoom, and an ultra-wide sensor.
It’s a strong system that competes with flagship smartphones and shows that innovation in form factor needn’t come at the expense of imaging capability.
Software Still a Sticking Point
Unfortunately, the software experience is where the Mate XT faces its biggest hurdle. It runs on HarmonyOS, Huawei’s custom operating system, which doesn’t support Google services natively. Workarounds exist for accessing some popular apps, but certain features—like NFC payments through Google Wallet—simply aren’t available.
For users outside of China, this lack of Google integration is a major limitation and may be a dealbreaker.
Durability: Promising but Unproven
There isn’t an official IP rating for water or dust resistance, and a portion of the flexible screen is still exposed even when the device is closed. So, it’s more susceptible to scratches and environmental wear than most smartphones.
With two hinges and a fragile screen, durability is still an unknown. Users will have to be gentle with it and perhaps rethink taking it into harsh or uncontrolled environments.
Price and Availability: High-End, Not Mass Market
Numbers, please—the Mate XT costs almost $4,000, and it’s not sold in the U.S. or the majority of European nations. For now, its availability is confined to certain regions, so it’s more of a niche product by choice.
It’s an effective statement piece, but its cost places it in the class of ultra-premium laptops. Though it might represent incredible value for a specific user, it’s certainly not for the masses.
A Glimpse Into the Future
The Mate XT isn’t a mass-market phone—it’s a glimpse of the future. It demonstrates just how far foldable technology has advanced and suggests where it’s going. It looks amazing, is great fun to play with, and is full of innovative concepts.
But for now, it’s more of a luxury flex than a practical daily driver. If you’re into mobile innovation, the Mate XT is a device worth admiring—but probably not one you’ll be buying anytime soon.
