Huawei MateXT: The World's First Mass-Produced Tri-Folding Smartphone, Daringly Ushering in a New Era

Huawei MateXT: The World's First Mass-Produced Tri-Folding Smartphone, Daringly Ushering in a New EraHuawei MateXT, the world's first mass-produced tri-folding smartphone, breaks the mold of traditional foldable phone designs, boldly translating tri-folding screen technology from concept to reality. This phone boasts three distinct forms: single-screen, dual-screen, and triple-screen, each offering users an unparalleled experience

Huawei MateXT: The World's First Mass-Produced Tri-Folding Smartphone, Daringly Ushering in a New Era

Huawei MateXT, the world's first mass-produced tri-folding smartphone, breaks the mold of traditional foldable phone designs, boldly translating tri-folding screen technology from concept to reality. This phone boasts three distinct forms: single-screen, dual-screen, and triple-screen, each offering users an unparalleled experience.

In recent years, foldable phones have emerged as a core innovation driver in the mobile phone industry. However, most existing foldable phones stick to the basic gameplay of horizontal and vertical folding. While horizontally foldable phones are becoming increasingly thinner and lighter, and vertically foldable phones boast increasingly impressive external displays, this "formulaic design" inevitably leads to aesthetic fatigue. The advent of Huawei MateXT injects a shot of adrenaline into the phone market, propelling tri-folding smartphones from concept to reality and paving the way for a new direction in the mobile phone industry.

Exquisite Details, Epitomizing High-End Flagship Flair

The Huawei MateXT's packaging adopts the classic Huawei color scheme of crimson red and black. The crimson red delivers a vibrant and energetic visual impact, while the black adds a touch of elegance and business sophistication to the overall design. This color combination highlights the phone's high-end positioning while retaining a composed and dignified aura. The gilded product name on the front serves as a constant reminder to consumers, "You are about to get your hands on a digital device that defies convention."

Opening the box reveals a distinct "extraordinary aura." Apart from the phone itself, Huawei also includes a Kevlar stand protective case, a pair of Huawei Freebuds5 earphones, a 66W wired fast charging set, and an 88W car charger. The accessories are comprehensive, offering almost everything you could need.

Huawei MateXT comes in two color options: Obsidian Black and Crimson Red. We got our hands on the more understated Obsidian Black version. The phone is placed in the box in its unfolded state. Taking it out and flipping it over to the back reveals the look of the back cover. This black is not your typical deep black. Under the light, the body emits a faint golden sheen, resulting from a light gold electroplating coating on the back. The combination of black and gold enhances the phone's sophistication and imbues it with an elegant and nuanced aura.

The camera module inherits the iconic octagonal star diamond design of the "Extraordinary Master" series. The unique sine wave facet design makes the camera module sparkle under the interplay of light and shadow. The new rock vein texture is forged through three core processes: stacking, forging, and twisting. Notably, the texture on each phone is unique, reminiscent of the blind box experience of the Huawei P60 Pro.

Moving to the upper right corner, you'll find a unique metal nameplate engraved with "Designed & Crafted by HUAWEI," signifying that the phone is independently designed and manufactured by Huawei. This inscription complements the black leather-textured back, adding a finishing touch to the overall design.

Thin as a Feather, A Creation of Industrial Miracles

A significant pain point of mainstream Fold-style folding phones is their difficulty in controlling weight and thickness within reasonable limits. As the first tri-folding smartphone on the market, how does Huawei MateXT fare? The answer is thin, incredibly thin. Excluding the camera module, the thinnest part of the body measures 3.6mm, and the entire phone weighs in at a remarkable 311g. For a device of this size, it's undeniably slim and light. Holding it in your hands poses no strain whatsoever.

However, the feel is different when folded. Compared to oversized flagship phones, it does feel slightly thicker. Also, slipping it into your pocket feels like it might slide out. Nonetheless, controlling a device approaching the size of a tablet to this level is an industrial marvel.

Three Forms, App Compatibility Exceeds Expectations

As a tri-folding phone, Huawei MateXT offers three distinct screen forms: single-screen, dual-screen, and triple-screen. In single-screen mode, aside from being slightly thicker and heavier, Huawei MateXT essentially functions as a regular 6.4-inch screen straight phone. Nothing extraordinary there.

Folding the left screen backward reveals a dual-screen form akin to mainstream folding phones. The experience here is similar to the Huawei MateX5, where apps like TongHuaShun, Sina Weibo, and Tencent Video gain access to more information upon unfolding. Apps like WeChat and Bilibili HD utilize tablet-like features. For apps without prior adaptation, Huawei has implemented layout optimization and parallel viewing for adaptation, resulting in a more comfortable layout.

To enter triple-screen mode, unfold the right screen outwards and then fold the left screen inwards. You now have a 10.2-inch full-size phone. Yes, Huawei MateXT has a unique unfolding method, allowing it to freely switch between different forms based on user needs.

Compared to traditional folding phones with an aspect ratio close to 1:1, this 16:11 large screen is a better fit for existing phone ecosystems. Testing shows that the top and bottom bezels are exceptionally narrow when watching videos, resulting in a larger viewable area than conventional folding phones. Additionally, horizontal scrolling through documents and vertical reading of novels and news articles displays more information on the screen.

In the large screen state, the experience Huawei MateXT provides is indistinguishable from an ordinary tablet. Native Huawei apps seamlessly enter tablet mode, while apps like Bilibili HD, NetEase Cloud Music, and Xiaohongshu, specifically optimized for tablets, display more rational interfaces and layouts that effectively utilize the large screen.

Of course, split-screen and picture-in-picture modes are essential. Currently, Huawei MateXT supports opening two apps concurrently while simultaneously displaying a third app in a small window. For example, while watching a video and browsing information, you can take notes on the other half of the screen. This seamless switching makes information access and feedback more efficient. We eagerly anticipate future upgrades that may allow for opening three apps simultaneously.

Summary: Huawei MateXT, A Cautious Yet Bold Experiment

Huawei MateXT represents a cautious yet bold experiment.

"Cautious" in that Huawei hasn't merely released a "tri-folding screen" prototype. They strive for exceptional thinness while ensuring a complete flagship experience for users. Despite its slightly heavier weight, MateXT's core hardware configuration, even in its folded state, can rival most straight flagship phones on the market. The robust tri-folding screen experience ensures that users continue to enjoy this unique experience even after the initial novelty wears off.

"Bold" because, in today's global mobile phone market, Huawei is possibly the only company daring to undertake such a risky venture. A flagship phone priced at 19,999 yuan is destined to carve out a new category, potentially even opening up an entire price segment. At the same time as Huawei launched its tri-folding screen, Apple released its uninspired iPhone 16 series. The heavily promoted "independent camera button" was met with widespread criticism from users. There's no doubt that today's innovation leader in the mobile phone industry is no longer Apple, but Huawei and Android phone manufacturers.

"Boldness" is inseparable from Huawei's successful attempts with the MateX series and their long-accumulated technological advantages in tablets, foldable phones, and the HarmonyOS ecosystem. Whether tri-folding screens will become the mainstream direction for smartphones is a question only time can answer.