Huawei’s Mate XT Ultimate is the world’s first tri-fold phone

Huawei has made waves in the smartphone market once again with the release of an innovative foldable phone.

The Mate XT Ultimate, the world’s first tri-fold smartphone, generated significant buzz at its recent Chinese launch, and it’s coming to Europe in 2025.

But it won’t be the only one for long. Oppo has officially teased its upcoming tri-fold phone as well, while Xiaomi is rumoured to be in the advanced stages of development of such a product.

Does Huawei have anything to fear? While we’ve already had a chance to take a look at the Mate XT Ultimate in our hands-on article, here’s everything you need to know about the device.

When was the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate released?

Huawei unveiled the Mate XT Ultimate on 10 September 2024, but it’s currently only available in China.

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

However, sources have confirmed to us at Tech Advisor that Huawei plans to release the device internationally in Q1 of 2025 – that’s anytime between January and March.

We’ll update this article if a more specific release date is rumoured or revealed. Of course, like all Huawei devices, the Mate XT Ultimate won’t be available in the US.

How much does the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate cost?

In China, the Mate XT Ultimate starts at CNY 19,999 (approx. £2,135/$2,820/€2,550) for the 256GB version, CNY 21,999 (approx. £2,520/$3,100/€2,800) for the 512GB version, and CNY 23,999 (approx. £2,560/$3,380/€3,100) for the 1TB model.

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

Those estimated UK and US figures above are simply direct conversions. Judging by previous releases, the actual price in Europe is likely to be even higher.

Given the already steep prices of existing single-hinged foldables like the £1,749/$1,799 Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the £1,799/$1,899 Galaxy Z Fold 6, it’s no surprise that the Mate XT is even more expensive.

What specs and features does the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate have?

Design

The Huawei Mate XT Ultimate is the world’s first tri-fold smartphone, showcasing Huawei’s cutting-edge innovation.

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

The phone has a luxurious design, aiming to combine elegance and sophistication. Available in Black or Red, it features premium gold accents around the edges, hinges, and camera.

Despite an intricate folding mechanism, it measures just 12.8mm when folded, nearly matching Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6. Unfolded, it has a thickness of 3.6mm, making it slim and easy to carry.

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

The device weighs 298g, which is impressively lightweight considering the advanced tech inside.

Display

The Mate XT Ultimate boasts a 10.2-inch flexible LTPO OLED display when fully unfolded. When partially folded, the device provides a 7.9-inch display that’s similar to other book-style foldables.

The full folding reduces it to a 6.4-inch compact form that’s in line with regular phones.

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

The display supports a 120Hz refresh rate and offers a resolution of 3184 x 2232 pixels, which adjusts according to the folding configuration.

Huawei’s “AI computing image quality” supposedly enhances the display, delivering vibrant colours and sharp details.

Performance

Huawei’s own Kirin 9010 chipset powers the Mate XT Ultimate. The company says it can deliver strong performance, especially during productivity and entertainment tasks.

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

The 8-core CPU has a 12-thread configuration and should offer smooth multitasking, while the Maleoon 910 MP4 GPU helps with more demanding workloads such as gaming.

It also features 16 GB of RAM, meaning it should be able to handle those demanding workloads.

Cameras

The Mate XT Ultimate houses a versatile camera setup similar to Huawei’s P series flagship phones.

The rear setup includes a 50Mp primary camera with PDAF (phase detection autofocus) and OIS, a 12Mp telephoto lens with 5.5x optical zoom, a 12Mp ultra-wide-angle camera, and a laser autofocus module.

The variable aperture of f/1.4-f/4.0 in the primary camera should deliver strong performance in a range of different lighting conditions.

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

Additionally, the 8Mp front camera, located in the punch-hole on the display, is unobstructed regardless of the display you’re using.

Battery & Charging

The Mate XT Ultimate is powered by a 5600mAh battery, split into three silicone-carbide composite cells to maintain a slim profile.

It supports 66W wired charging via USB-C, though it’s not clear if the necessary charger is included in the box.

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

Additionally, the phone supports 50W wireless charging and reverse wireless and wired charging, enabling it to act as a power bank for other devices.

Software

The device technically runs on an open-source version of Android, though Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4.2 software, offers quite a different experience.

As you might be aware, the main difference compared to other Android phones is its lack of any Google services, including the Play Store. Huawei’s ongoing US trade ban means that’s unlikely to change anytime soon, but there are ways to sideload them.

However, HarmonyOS does feature several AI-powered tools, such as voice-to-text, document translation, and real-time split-screen functionalities, enhancing user productivity.

The upgraded Xiaoyi voice assistant, internationally known as Celia, adds convenience to everyday tasks. Huawei’s dual-way satellite communication system, is another advanced feature, allowing users to communicate via satellites, though it’s currently exclusive to China.