- World’s only tri-fold phone (so far): The Huawei Mate XTs is Huawei’s second-generation tri-fold smartphone, unfolding into a 10.2-inch tablet-like OLED display (with intermediate 7.9″ and 6.4″ modes). It’s an iterative but meaningful upgrade that refines Huawei’s futuristic foldable design.
- New stylus & smarter software: The Mate XTs adds M-Pen 3 stylus support on its flexible inner screen, enabling note-taking, drawing, and even laser-pointer presentations. It runs HarmonyOS 5.1, supporting desktop-grade apps like WPS Office and the Wind Terminal for PC-level productivity. Multitasking is enhanced with multi-window modes and drag-and-drop “excerpt” tools for moving text between apps.
- Boosted performance & cameras: Powered by Huawei’s new Kirin 9020 chipset (advertised as ~36% faster than the previous Kirin 9010 in the Mate XT), the Mate XTs packs 16GB RAM and up to 1TB storage. It retains a 50MP main and 12MP 5.5× telephoto camera, but upgrades the ultrawide to a high-resolution 40MP RYYB sensor for better low-light shots. A 5,600 mAh battery with 66W wired / 50W wireless charging keeps this triple-screen beast running.
- Refined design, lower price: Huawei tweaked the dual-hinge design for smoother folding and durability, all while keeping weight at 298 g (same as last year). New “Hibiscus Purple” and white vegan-leather finishes join the classic black and red. Despite its cutting-edge tech, the Mate XTs starts at ¥17,999 (~$2,520) for 16GB+256GB in China – about ¥2,000 cheaper than its predecessor’s launch price. (Higher 512GB and 1TB variants cost ¥19,999 and ¥21,999.)
- China-first launch, global uncertain: The Mate XTs went on sale in China on Sept 4, 2025, with shipments by end of the month. Huawei hasn’t announced international release plans yet. The first-gen Mate XT eventually launched in Europe and Middle East at €3,499 (~$3,700) months after its China debut, so a limited global rollout of the XTs could follow (likely in 2026). For now, importers face steep prices and Huawei’s well-known software limitations outside China (no built-in Google services).
- Ahead of rivals – for now: Huawei remains years ahead in tri-fold devices – Samsung and others have only shown prototypes (Samsung’s first tri-fold is rumored to be imminent). Traditional foldables like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, Honor Magic V3, and Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 are slimmer, lighter, and much cheaper, but none offer the Mate XTs’s expansive triple-screen real estate. Huawei’s bet is that packing a tablet in your pocket will appeal to power users, even if it means extra bulk and cost.
A Triple-Folding Phone That Turns Into a Tablet
Huawei’s Mate XTs is an engineering marvel: a smartphone that folds twice via two hinges, transforming from a regular phone into a mini-tablet. Fully unfolded, its 10.2-inch flexible OLED screen provides a spacious 3,184×2,232 canvas – significantly larger than any single-hinge foldable. Fold it once, and you get a roughly 7.9-inch tablet mode; fold again, and it collapses to a 6.4-inch phone-like display for one-handed use. The design uses one inward-folding and one outward-folding hinge (like an accordion), leaving one panel on the outside to serve as the phone’s screen when closed. This outer display means you don’t need a separate cover screen – but it also stays exposed, raising long-term durabilityquestions (plastic foldable screens can scratch more easily).
Huawei has reportedly improved the hinge mechanism in the XTs for smoother operation. Early hands-on reports note the hinges feel sturdy at various angles, held in place by magnets to keep the folded screens flush. The fully folded device measures 12.8 mm thick – impressively slim for a tri-fold, though still bulkier than a typical slab phone (and heavier at 298 g). There’s no official IP water resistance rating (an expected compromise in such complex hardware), whereas Samsung’s latest Fold has splash protection. Overall, the Mate XTs’ form factor balances on the cutting edge: undeniably futuristic, but with trade-offs in thickness and durability that come with being first of its kind.
Stylus Support and a PC-Like Software Experience
A headline upgrade in the Mate XTs is its new stylus support. Huawei’s M-Pen 3 digital pen is designed to work across all three screen sizes, effectively turning the Mate XTs into a pocket sketchpad or notepad. You can jot notes, annotate documents, or sketch on the go. Huawei even added nifty productivity tricks: for example, you can use the stylus to highlight text in one app and drag it to another app in split-screen – a “split-screen excerpt” feature that avoids clunky copy-paste steps. The M-Pen 3 can also serve as a remote for presentations (with slide controls and a virtual laser pointer), underscoring the XTs’s appeal to professionals. (Note: the stylus is sold separately for ~¥599, about $80.)
On the software side, the Mate XTs runs HarmonyOS 5.1 (in China), Huawei’s Android-based operating system. HarmonyOS is optimized for large, flexible displays – offering multi-column layouts, floating windows, and easy multi-app multitasking. Huawei is pushing the productivity angle hard: for the first time, they’ve enabled installation of full desktop apps on a phone, including the PC version of WPS Office and the Wind Financial Terminal. This essentially blurs the line between phone and PC, letting users run some computer-grade programs on the 10-inch screen. In demos, Huawei highlighted an advanced multi-window mode, where you can have multiple resizable app windows open like on a tablet or laptop.
Outside China, Huawei phones typically use EMUI (an Android-based interface) without Google Mobile Services. That means if the Mate XTs reaches global markets, users would lack the Google Play Store and certain apps by default. Workarounds exist (and Huawei’s own AppGallery and Petal Search cover basics), but it’s a major limitation compared to Samsung or Honor devices that run full Android with Google. As one tech reviewer noted about Huawei’s tri-fold, the hardware is amazing but “ongoing software limitations outside of China make it a tough sell” for many users. Huawei’s HarmonyOS is evolving, however, and offers its own ecosystem of apps and services (with 14 million devices already on the new HarmonyOS 5 by launch time). For China-based users, the Mate XTs provides a rich software experience; international power users may need to tinker to get their favorite apps on board.
Hardware Upgrades: Kirin 9020 and Enhanced Cameras
Under the hood, the Mate XTs brings a mix of familiar specs and new upgrades. It’s powered by Huawei’s in-house Kirin 9020 chipset – marking a return of flagship Kirin chips after a hiatus. Huawei’s CEO Richard Yu claimed a 36% performance boost over the previous model, which used a Kirin 9010. The exact core specs of Kirin 9020 aren’t detailed, but it’s expected to deliver upper-high-end performance (likely comparable to a Snapdragon 8-series chip). In real use, that means smoother multitasking across those multiple screens. The phone is equipped with a healthy 16 GB of RAM, ensuring it can keep several apps or split windows open without slowdown. Storage options range from 256 GB up to 1 TB, plenty for productivity and media.
Notably, the Mate XTs also supports satellite connectivity (for emergency texting in areas without cell signal) in China, and includes perks like an IR blaster and ultra-wideband (UWB) for device tracking. Huawei carried over the 5,600 mAh battery from the first-generation tri-fold, a necessity to drive that huge display. Despite the battery’s size, the tri-fold form factor’s power draw means battery life will depend heavily on usage – running the full 10.2″ screen at 90 Hz will drain more juice than phone mode. Still, the XTs has fast charging on par with Huawei’s other flagships: up to 66W wired (enough to fill a large battery in under an hour) and 50W wireless charging support. Reverse wireless charging (7.5W) even lets it top up earbuds or other devices.
Huawei also gave the Mate XTs a camera upgrade, leveraging its latest XMage imaging tech. The rear triple-camera array is similar to last year’s, with a 50MP f/1.4 main camera (with variable aperture for better low-light shots) and a 12MP periscope telephoto lens (5.5× optical zoom, OIS). The improvement comes in the ultrawide camera: it jumps from a basic 13MP in the Mate XT to a 40MP ultrawide sensor on the XTs. Moreover, all three rear cameras now use Huawei’s RYYB color filter (red-yellow-yellow-blue) which captures more light than standard sensors, boosting low-light and indoor performance. Early commentators expect noticeably better wide-angle shots and more consistent color tuning across lenses. There’s also a small 8MP selfie camera, though interestingly you can always fold the phone and use the high-quality main cameras for selfies if needed.
These specs won’t outgun the very latest conventional flagships in raw performance or camera count, but they make the Mate XTs a well-rounded powerhouse. As an example, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip in Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold6 or Honor’s Magic V3 might slightly edge Kirin 9020 in benchmarks, and those devices have polished Leica or Honor-tuned cameras of their own. But Huawei is offering more versatility – you get a camera system and processor comparable to a high-end phone, plus the unique triple-screen capability.
Price and Availability: Luxury Tech, China-Only (for Now)
Foldable phones have never been cheap, and the Mate XTs is no exception – though Huawei did trim the price from last year’s model. The Mate XTs base version (16 GB RAM + 256 GB storage) is priced at ¥17,999 in China, roughly $2,520 USD. That’s about ¥2,000 less than the Mate XT’s original Chinese launch price (¥19,999) for the same storage tier. The higher-end XTs variants cost ¥19,999 ($2,800) for 512 GB and ¥21,999 ($3,080) for the maxed 1 TB edition. By comparison, a flagship single-fold device like the Galaxy Z Fold6 started around $1,900 in the US for 256 GB – meaning Huawei’s tri-fold still commands a premium of several hundred dollars over any mainstream foldable.
As of its September 2025 launch, the Mate XTs is exclusive to China. Huawei began taking orders on launch day (Sept 4), with first deliveries expected by end of September. No global release dates have been confirmed. However, Huawei did eventually bring the first-gen Mate XT to limited international markets (Europe, UK, and UAE) a few months after its Chinese debut. That model cost a whopping €3,499 (~$4,000) in Europe, aligning with its ultra-luxury positioning. If the Mate XTs follows suit, we might see an international launch in late 2025 or early 2026, likely with similarly eye-watering pricing (expect well above $3,000 given taxes and import costs).
Would anyone buy it outside China? Enthusiasts and tech futurists, perhaps – but general consumers will find it a hard sell. Importing is an option for determined buyers, but as one poll showed, many balk at paying over $2,500 or importing an unsupported device. That said, Huawei’s decision to cut the price (even slightly) indicates it wants to expand the tri-fold’s appeal beyond just a tech demo for the super-rich. The company noted that the first Mate XT sold over 500,000 units in China – a strong signal of interest in this form factor. By lowering cost and refining the device, Huawei seems to be testing the waters for broader adoption. If you’re outside China and eager for this tech, keep an eye on Huawei’s global announcements in coming months (and start saving up).
How the Mate XTs Compares to Other Foldables
Huawei may be the first to a tri-fold device, but it’s entering an increasingly crowded foldable arena. How does the Mate XTs stack up against its more conventional rivals?
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6: Samsung’s latest flagship fold (released mid-2024) represents the established book-style foldable. The Z Fold6 has a single 7.6-inch inner display and a 6.2-inch outer screen, so it can’t expand nearly as large as the Mate XTs’s 10.2-inch spread. However, at ~263 g, the Fold6 is significantly lighter, and it folds shut at around 13 mm thick – a bit thinner than Huawei’s tri-fold when fully folded. Samsung uses ultra-thin glass and offers an IPX8 water-resistant hinge, adding durability confidence that Huawei lacks. The Fold6’s Snapdragon 8 Gen3 chip and 12 GB RAM deliver top-tier performance (likely in the same ballpark as Kirin 9020). Samsung also supports stylus input (the S Pen), but notably does not include an S Pen silo in the Fold6 – you must carry it separately, similar to Huawei’s approach. Where Samsung clearly wins is software: the Fold6 runs full Google Android with One UI enhancements and has a polished big-screen app ecosystem. It’s also much cheaper, starting around $1,899 in the US. In short, the Galaxy Fold is more practical and globally supported, but the Mate XTs offers a far larger display when needed. As PhoneArena put it, Samsung’s take will have the “global reach and mature ecosystem to potentially make tri-folds mainstream,” but Huawei has jumped out ahead with two generations before Samsung’s even launched one.
- Honor Magic V3: A closer challenger from Huawei’s former sub-brand, the Magic V3 (launched July 2024) is a remarkably slim foldable that emphasizes design. It’s a conventional dual-panel fold (like Samsung’s) with a 7.92-inch inner screen and 6.43-inch cover display [1]. The Magic V3’s standout metric is thickness – just 9.2 mm when folded and a razor-thin 4.35 mm when open [2] – and weight of only 226 g [3]. This makes it as easy to carry as some regular phones, addressing one of foldables’ biggest drawbacks. It still packs high-end specs: a Snapdragon 8 Gen3 chip, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB storage, and a 5,150 mAh battery. The camera system is no slouch either (50MP main, 40MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto) [4]. In day-to-day use, Magic V3 won praise for its ergonomics – it feels almost like a normal phone when folded, unlike the chunky Mate XTs. Its battery life was only average despite the big battery (likely because of its slim design constraints). Importantly, Honor released the Magic V3 in Europe at £1,699 (around $2,100). That’s roughly $1,000+ less than what a Mate XTs would likely cost globally. For consumers who prioritize a sleek form and Google-ready software, the Magic V3 is a compelling alternative. Of course, it cannot transform into a 10-inch tablet – so Huawei still wins on sheer screen size and versatility. It’s a classic trade-off: the Magic V3 is the supermodel of foldables (thin, stylish, relatively affordable), while the Mate XTs is the sci-fi powerhouse for those who need maximum screen real estate.
- Xiaomi Mix Fold 4: Unveiled in China in July 2024, Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 4 pushed the envelope on lightweight design. It offers an 8.0-inch inner display (120 Hz, very bright at up to 3000 nits) and a 6.56-inch outer display. Despite the large screens, the Mix Fold 4 weighs just 226 g and measures only 9.47 mm thick when closed – virtually identical to the Magic V3’s svelte profile. Xiaomi achieved this with a redesigned hinge (rated for 500,000 folds) and a strong lightweight composite chassis. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen3 and even squeezes in a 5,100 mAh battery with 67W fast charging. Xiaomi partnered with Leica for its cameras (50MP main, 50MP 2x portrait, 10MP 5x periscope, 12MP ultrawide). While not a tri-fold, the Mix Fold 4’s innovation is in refinement – it showed a big foldable can be thin and relatively light without sacrificing battery. It even touts some improved durability (the hinge and chassis strength were improved by 25–40%), and rumors hinted at some level of water resistance (though not officially IP-rated). Priced from ¥9,000 (≈$1,250) in China for base configuration, the Mix Fold 4 undercuts Huawei dramatically on cost. The catch? Historically, Xiaomi’s Mix Fold series hasn’t launched globally (although there were whispers of a Fold 4 global edition). So, like the Mate XTs, it’s largely a China-only treat, but one that demonstrates how quickly foldable hardware is evolving. Against Xiaomi’s featherweight fold, Huawei’s Mate XTs is heavier and twice as thick – yet Xiaomi can’t match Huawei’s triple display or stylus support. Each addresses a different aspect of the foldable challenge: Huawei pushes boundaries on functionality, while Xiaomi (and Honor) push on ergonomics and price.
In summary, the Mate XTs currently stands in a category of its own. No direct competitor offers a tri-fold design at present – Samsung is expected to unveil one soon, and other brands like TCL and LG have shown tri-fold concepts, but none are commercially available yet. Huawei’s head start gives it a halo of innovation, but also means it’s targeting a niche within a niche. As one tech site quipped, the tri-fold market is still “a solution in search of a problem” for most people. Regular foldables are becoming more common and creeping down in price, while Huawei’s tri-fold remains a luxury gadget for enthusiasts. The competition in 2025 shows two divergent paths: make foldables more practical and affordable (Samsung, Honor, Xiaomi), or make them more capable and ambitious, as Huawei is doing. It will be fascinating to see which approach wins out in the long run, or if there’s room for both.
Reactions and Huawei’s Foldable Roadmap
Upon its unveiling, the Huawei Mate XTs garnered mixed reactions of awe and skepticism. Tech enthusiasts marveled at the feat of packing a tablet-sized screen into a pocketable form – “I can carry a full-size multimedia tablet in my pocket,” one early user remarked, calling the device “one-of-a-kind”. The addition of stylus support and PC-like apps also drew praise, as it pushes foldables closer to laptop replacement territory than ever before. Huawei is framing the Mate XTs as a productivity machine for professionals and creatives, not just a novelty. “The futuristic three-fold form is gathering momentum,” Huawei touted on its social media, emphasizing that this form factor is the future of mobile computing.
However, many analysts pointed out the practical hurdles. The price remains prohibitively high – more than some high-end laptops. Mainstream tech reviews of the first-gen Mate XT noted that while it was a “fun first-gen” device, it was ultimately too expensive and limited for recommendation. The Mate XTs, being only slightly cheaper, faces the same dilemma. Moreover, Huawei’s well-known software ecosystem challenges (no Google services globally, reliance on Huawei’s AppGallery) temper the excitement. As PhoneArena’s reviewer put it bluntly: “the Mate XTs is a fantastic glimpse into what’s next, but for now, it remains a futuristic gadget for those with very deep pockets”. In other words, great tech demo – but not something the average buyer should rush to import.
From a broader perspective, Huawei’s aggressive foldable strategy is noteworthy. Despite sanctions limiting its access to 5G chips for years, Huawei has doubled down on innovation in form factors. In 2023, it released the Mate X3, a slim water-resistant book-foldable, and it has a line of pocketable flip phones like the Huawei Pocket series (the P50 Pocket and Pocket S). In fact, rumors suggest Huawei will launch a new Mate V Pocket (Pocket 3) flip phone and a Mate X7large foldable in late 2025. These are expected to bring further design upgrades – e.g. a Mate X7 to take on the next-gen book folds from Oppo, Vivo, and Honor, and a Pocket 3 to challenge Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip and Honor’s Magic V Flip. Huawei clearly sees foldables as a key to differentiating itself in a tough market. Its current foldable lineup spans outward-folding designs (the tri-fold XTs), inward-folding slabs (Mate X-series), and clamshell flips (Pocket-series). Few companies have such a comprehensive approach.
It’s also paying off, at least in China. Huawei reportedly holds about 70% of China’s foldable market share in 2025, dominating domestic competitors and largely sidestepping Samsung (whose presence in China is small). By being first to new form factors like the tri-fold, Huawei generates buzz and appeals to premium buyers in its home market. The Mate XTs further solidifies Huawei’s lead – arriving before Samsung’s much-anticipated tri-fold even sees the light of day.
Looking ahead, the tri-fold concept itself will face its biggest test when other giants join the fray. Samsung’s tri-fold(which the company has teased in prototype form) could launch in the next product cycle. If Samsung can combine a tri-fold design with its polish, global reach, and a (relatively) lower price, Huawei will have fierce competition for the first time in this niche. Other players like Xiaomi or TCL might surprise with their own triple-folding devices as well – several have shown concepts. Huawei will need to iterate fast (perhaps a Mate XTs 2 or “Mate XT Ultimate Design” edition) to maintain its edge.
For now, Huawei deserves credit for boldly pushing smartphone innovation forward. The Mate XTs is an eye-catching milestone on the folding-phone journey – one that shows what’s possible when you’re not afraid to rethink the shape and purpose of a phone. It delivers an unmatched on-the-go productivity and entertainment experience; you essentially have a phone, tablet, and notepad all-in-one. As one excited reviewer noted, using the tri-fold can feel like “sci-fi made reality”. Yet it also reminds us of the challenges ahead: high cost, software gaps, and the simple question of how many people truly need a triple-folding, stylus-equipped superphone.
Bottom line: The Huawei Mate XTs is a remarkable second step into tri-fold phones – refining the concept with better hardware, a lower price (relatively speaking), and thoughtful additions like stylus support. It stands virtually unchallenged in delivering a pocketable 10-inch screen, keeping Huawei at the bleeding edge of foldable innovation. For tech enthusiasts with deep wallets, the XTs offers a tantalizing glimpse of the future today. For everyone else, it’s a sign of where smartphones might be headed in a few years, once the tech matures and trickles down. As Huawei continues to bet big on foldables (with even more models on the horizon), the era of multi-fold devices appears to be just beginning – and the Mate XTs shows that Huawei intends to lead that charge.
Sources: The Verge; South China Morning Post; Android Authority; Gizmochina; PhoneArena; TechRadar [5] [6]; NotebookCheck; Mobile World Live; Digital Trends.
References
1. www.techradar.com, 2. www.techradar.com, 3. www.techradar.com, 4. www.techradar.com, 5. www.techradar.com, 6. www.techradar.com
