Less than a year after Huawei introduced the world's first commercially available tri-fold phone, the company is already preparing its next iteration — a quiet but telling sign that the device was not a curiosity but a commitment. The rumored Mate XTs would refine the original's transformative three-mode design with upgraded internal components, following Huawei's established pattern of evolutionary improvement over revolutionary reinvention. That competitors are now racing to build their own tri-fold devices suggests the industry has read the same signal: the boundary between phone and tablet
Huawei Reportedly Developing Mate XTs Successor to Tri-Fold Phone
A device that unfolds into a tablet yet fits in your pocket
Mark
So Huawei made a phone that folds twice. Now they're making another one. What's actually new here?
Mimi
The original Mate XT was the proof of concept—it showed the tri-fold design could work without falling apart. The successor would likely keep that same three-mode functionality but upgrade the processor to Huawei's latest Kirin 9020 chip.
Luke
But we don't actually know that yet, right? The Kirin 9020 is rumored to be in it. Huawei hasn't confirmed anything.
Mimi
Correct. The leaks suggest it, but Huawei is keeping quiet. What we do know is the naming pattern—when they add an 's,' they're usually just refreshing internals.
Mark
So if I bought the original Mate XT, would the new one feel like a major upgrade or just a faster version of the same thing?
Mimi
Probably the latter. The real innovation was the tri-fold design itself. The successor would refine it, not reinvent it.
Luke
And the price? Is there any indication it'll be cheaper than $2,700?
Mimi
Not yet. But the fact that Tecno, Honor, and Xiaomi are all working on tri-fold phones suggests competition will eventually drive prices down.
Mark
So this is really about Huawei staying ahead of a trend they started?
Mimi
Exactly. They proved the concept works. Now they're iterating before everyone else catches up.
O Pulso
- Huawei is moving with unusual speed, developing a successor to the Mate XT barely a year after the tri-fold category it created even existed.
- The rumored Kirin 9020 chipset upgrade signals a meaningful performance leap inside a form factor that already pushes the limits of what a pocket-sized device can become.
- At a $2,700 starting price, the original Mate XT was a luxury experiment — the successor must now justify that cost with tangible refinement, not just novelty.
- Tecno, Honor, and Xiaomi are all developing rival tri-fold devices, transforming what was a singular achievement into a competitive market category.
- The race to follow Huawei's lead suggests the industry has collectively decided the tri-fold is not a gimmick — it is the next frontier of mobile form.
Less than a year after Huawei introduced the world's first commercially available tri-fold phone, the company is already preparing its next iteration — a quiet but telling sign that the device was not a curiosity but a commitment. The rumored Mate XTs would refine the original's transformative three-mode design with upgraded internal components, following Huawei's established pattern of evolutionary improvement over revolutionary reinvention. That competitors are now racing to build their own tri-fold devices suggests the industry has read the same signal: the boundary between phone and tablet is not a compromise to be managed, but a frontier to be dissolved.
Huawei's Mate XT arrived as something genuinely unprecedented: a phone that folds twice, shifting between a standard handset, a large foldable screen, and a tablet-sized display — all while remaining pocket-sized. Now, barely a year into that experiment, the company is already preparing a follow-up. Leaks from China point to a device tentatively called the Mate XTs, built on the same three-mode foundation but upgraded internally.
The 's' designation is meaningful in Huawei's naming language. It historically signals a processor, memory, and battery refresh without redesigning the physical experience. If the pattern holds, the Mate XTs would deliver the same transformative form factor powered by the Kirin 9020 — Huawei's latest in-house chip, already rumored to appear in the Mate 70 series and the new X6 foldable.
The broader context gives this development its weight. The original Mate XT starts at around $2,700, a price that positioned it squarely as a luxury device for early adopters. Yet Huawei is no longer alone in this space. Tecno has shown a tri-fold concept, and both Honor and Xiaomi are reportedly developing their own versions. A format that was once a singular achievement is becoming a category — and categories, over time, tend to mature and become accessible.
The Mate XT demonstrated that the tri-fold concept is mechanically and functionally viable, resolving a genuine tension in mobile computing: the wish for both portability and expansive screen real estate. Whether a refined successor can justify the same premium price is still an open question. But the speed of Huawei's next move, and the competitors now following in its wake, suggests the industry has made its judgment — this is not a novelty. It is a direction.
Huawei's Mate XT Ultimate Design arrived last year as something genuinely novel: a phone that folds twice, collapsing into a pocket-sized device, expanding into a foldable tablet, and opening fully into something closer to a small iPad. Now, barely a year into the tri-fold era, the company is already preparing its next move. Leaks from China suggest Huawei is developing a successor, potentially called the Mate XTs, that would build on the original's three-mode design while upgrading the internal machinery.
The naming convention matters here. When Huawei adds an 's' to a device name, it typically signals a refresh of the internals—processor, memory, battery—without a wholesale redesign of the form factor. If the Mate XTs follows this pattern, users should expect the same transformative experience: a closed device that works as a standard phone, a halfway-open mode that presents a large foldable screen, and a fully unfolded state that delivers a tablet-sized display. The core innovation stays intact.
The rumored upgrade centers on Huawei's Kirin 9020 chipset, the company's latest in-house processor. Though Huawei has been circumspect about which chips power which devices, industry reports suggest the Kirin 9020 is already appearing in the new X6 foldable and the Mate 70 series. A tri-fold phone with this processor would represent a meaningful performance jump, though Huawei hasn't confirmed any of these details publicly.
What makes this development significant is the market context. The original Mate XT carries a starting price around $2,700, positioning it as a luxury device for early adopters willing to pay for experimental form factors. Yet Huawei is not alone in pursuing this direction. Tecno, another Chinese manufacturer, has already shown a tri-fold concept. Honor and Xiaomi are rumored to be developing their own versions. The tri-fold phone, once a singular achievement, is becoming a category—which typically means the technology will mature, improve, and eventually become more affordable.
The Mate XT proved that the tri-fold concept works mechanically and functionally. A device that genuinely fits in a pocket yet unfolds into a tablet-sized screen addresses a real tension in mobile computing: the desire for portability and screen real estate without carrying two devices. Whether a successor with a faster processor and presumably refined hinges and displays will justify another $2,700 price tag remains an open question. But the fact that Huawei is moving forward, and that competitors are following, suggests the industry believes this is more than a novelty—it's the shape of phones to come.
Citações Notáveis
Huawei's naming convention suggests the Mate XTs would retain the tri-fold design while upgrading internal components like the processor— Industry reporting on Huawei's device naming patterns
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