Just hours after Apple introduced its iPhone 16, Huawei delighted its fans by launching the Mate XT Ultimate Design, hailed as the world’s first tri-fold AI smartphone featuring three expansive glass screens. This innovative device marks the introduction of Huawei’s Tiangong hinge system, which enables the smartphone to flex its internal and external components effortlessly. The multi-screen marvel incorporates a slim rod structure nestled between the hinges, ensuring that the tri-fold design remains compact. This clever integration allows the design team to create a sleeker smartphone, giving the impression of a single screen when folded, despite its three displays. Pre-orders for this groundbreaking smartphone are now open, with an official launch set for September 20th, 2024.
When fully opened, the tri-fold AI smartphone boasts a stunning 10.2-inch display that appears seamless, free from creases or visible rods between the screens. For those worried about the durability of the hinge system, Huawei assures that the core components of the Mate XT Ultimate Design are crafted from steel typically used in aerospace, ensuring resilience against deformation even with regular use. However, the tri-fold feature is just one of the many impressive attributes of this new Huawei device.
Currently, the smartphone is available in two striking colors: vibrant red and deep black, both adorned with luxurious leather finishes. Elegant black gold accents trace the edges of the tri-fold smartphone, shimmering beautifully in any light. The Mate XT Ultimate Design also comes equipped with an updated version of Huawei’s proprietary HarmonyOS. Among its AI capabilities are a voice editing tool to enhance voice-to-text transcription and a translation feature that facilitates seamless language switching in texts. Additionally, the AI offers photo editing options, allowing users to extend backgrounds or remove unwanted objects from their images at will.
Users of the tri-fold smartphone don’t always need to fully extend it; they can simply keep it folded and utilize a single screen, just like any standard smartphone user would. For those who prefer multitasking, opening an additional screen allows for different applications to be displayed simultaneously. This feature is particularly handy for reading while taking notes or for quickly jotting down information from a web page. The three screens also enhance the entertainment experience, transforming the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design into a device that feels more like a tablet.
Huawei boasts that the displays offer a stunning 3K ultra-high resolution and a remarkable 92 percent screen-to-body ratio, minimizing bezels and maximizing viewing area. The display is crafted with a composite laminated structure that incorporates a non-Newtonian fluid and the largest double-impact-resistant glass in the industry. On the back, the camera casing is designed in a striking diamond shape. This smartphone is touted as the first foldable device to feature cameras with 10 variable apertures, including a periscope telephoto lens and an ultra-wide-angle lens capable of capturing images across all focal lengths.
With capabilities for 5.5x optical zoom and 50x digital zoom, users can snap breathtaking panoramic shots of glaciers, lakes, and oceans, even from a distance. Additionally, for those who enjoy hiking or camping in remote locations, the tri-fold smartphone can maintain communication through Huawei’s dedicated satellite, Tiantong, even when traditional signal coverage is lost.
The Mate XT Ultimate Design is powered by a sleek, silicon, anode-based battery that measures just 1.9mm in thickness and boasts an impressive capacity of up to 5600 mAh. As of the time of this writing, Huawei has opened pre-orders for this innovative tri-fold smartphone, with the 256GB model priced at approximately 2,800 USD, the 512GB version at 3,000 USD, and the 1TB model at 3,300 USD.