Here's What a $2,800 Foldable 'Accordion' Phone Gets You. And Yes, Real People Can Buy It

Huawei is the first company in the world to bring a triple-foldable phone to stores. The company announced the new Mate XT Ultimate Design on Tuesday, just hours after Apple announced the iPhone 16 lineup, as it seeks to overshadow its American rival, particularly in China.

The Mate XT Ultimate Design looks like a regular phone when folded, but it can expand into what Huawei calls dual- and triple-screen modes. The dual screen resembles a square and triple screen offers the experience of a 10.2-inch tablet. The Chinese tech giant says the display, which folds twice, is made of flexible materials that can bend in either direction. Huawei credits the hinge system for this, saying it "involves two tracks working in tandem to support inward and outward folds." This allows for switching between single-, dual- and triple-screen modes.

The base version starts at 19,999 yuan (roughly $2,800; £2,199; AU$4,245) and goes up to 23,999 yuan, or $3,370, for the highest storage variant. The trifold phone has already garnered over 4 million preorders, with no deposit required, following Huawei's launch event in Shenzhen, according to the company's online store. It's currently only available in China.

Given its prohibitive price tag, the Mate XT Ultimate Design is unlikely to be a major sales driver for Huawei. But winning the foldables race remains a key ambition for the Chinese company, which in recent years saw its smartphone division collapse following several rounds of US sanctions. In fact, Huawei has achieved the leadership position in the worldwide foldables market, according to a second quarter report from IDC. Huawei took the top spot from Samsung with a 27.5% market share globally, while Samsung captured 16.4%.

The worldwide foldable market is forecast to reach 25 million devices by the end of 2024, up 37.6% from the 18.1 million units shipped in 2023, according to the research firm International Data Corporation. By 2028, total foldable phone shipments worldwide are expected to rise to 45.7 million units, IDC predicts.

"The production constraints and price point of Huawei's latest product may not have a huge impact in terms of shipments, but it's telling the consumers that it's still the tech leader and the potential challenge it brings to Apple may be far beyond just market share," IDC's Will Wong told CNET. "The absence of AI features in the latest iPhone 16 series in China may reinforce the challenge faced by Apple in the local market." 

Huawei's new foldable highlights the progress Apple's rivals have made in innovating this newer subcategory of phones. Apple's first foldable, meanwhile, is reportedly not expected until 2025 at the earliest, with current rumors pointing to a flip phone. Apple unveiled the iPhone 16 lineup just hours before Huawei's event. However, Apple Intelligence, the American company's AI platform considered by many to be a key feature in the series, is not yet available in mainland China. To make it available, Apple would first need to partner with a local Chinese AI company due to local regulations.

In the second quarter of 2024, Apple's iPhone sales in China continued to face challenges. The American tech giant lost ground to local competitors such as Huawei and Xiaomi, resulting in Apple dropping out of the top five phones makers there, according to IDC. 

Apart from a folding screen, the Mate XT has four cameras in total including a periscope-style telephoto lens. Huawei said there's also a physical aperture on the device, catering to different shooting scenarios. The aperture in the camera lens controls how much light enters the camera. Most cameras have a fixed aperture, or opening, meaning the amount of light that enters it can't change. More recent flagship phones have variable apertures, but they're not physical ones in most cases.

The concept of a triple-folding phone is nothing new. CNET's Jessica Dolcourt got an early look at a TLC concept of one back in 2019. And Samsung gave us a glimpse at trifold display concepts back in 2022 at CES. But none of them have been released or mass produced for commercial sales until now.

Key specs

Cover screen: 6.4 inches
Dual screen: 7.9 inches 
Triple screen: 10.2 inches
Rear Camera: 50-megapixel ultrawide-angle camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide-angle camera, 12-megapixel periscope telephoto camera
Front camera: 8 megapixels 
Battery: 5,600-mAh battery
Storage: 16GB + 256GB, 16GB + 512GB, 16GB + 1TB
Special features: Triple-folding design, AI features, satellite communication, stylus support, keyboard attachment