Huawei announces foldable smartphone – Mate X

Huawei has unveiled a foldable smartphone at MWC 2019 – the Mate X.

The device features three displays:

• A 6.6-inch (2,480 x 1,148) display on the front.
• A 6.3-inch (2,480 x 892) display on the rear.
• An 8-inch (2,480 x 2,200) tablet-like display when the device is unfolded.

Those familiar with the recently-launched Samsung Galaxy Fold will understand the concept. The Mate X can be used as a “regular” smartphone when folded, with its 6.6-inch display on the front.

When users want to use a bigger display, they can unfold the device – thanks to its built-in hinge under the screen – into an 8-inch 2,480 x 2,200 touchscreen tablet.

Huawei said the device also allows for side-by-side multitasking when using the 8-inch FullView display, letting owners use half the screen for one app, and the other half for another.

Design

The design of the smartphone and its hinge have been worked on for three years in a bid to ensure it works optimally and does not influence the layout of the phone in a negative way, said Huawei.

As a result, Huawei’s in-device hinge allows the phone to measure 5.4mm thick when unfolded, and 10.9mm thick when unfolded. The company emphasised that when folded, there is no gap between the two halves of the phone at any point.

The display of the device also does not contain any punches or notches, ensuring a better viewing experience, said Huawei.

A “protection case” has been built into the phone to ensure it does not get damage easily, as all its surfaces are covered by displays, it added.

Dual-SIM support, expandable storage, and a fingerprint sensor are additional features of the phone.

Connectivity and power

In terms of connectivity, Huawei said the Mate X is the world’s first 5G foldable smartphone, and supports NSA and SA 5G architectures.

This allows the Mate X to handle download speeds of up to 7.5Gbps.

Powering the device is a dual-battery with a 4,500mAh capacity, supported by a 55W fast-charging system. This lets users charge their phone from flat to 85% in 30 minutes.

Huawei admitted, however, that the costs involved in building the phone are high, and it is working on bringing these down.

Currently, the Mate X (8G RAM, 512GB storage, Kirin 980 processor) will sell for €2,299 when it launches in mid-2019.