Huawei Mate Xs 2 Trifold Launch: Specs, Price, & Features

Huawei unveiled the second-generation of its trifold smartphone on Thursday, signaling the Chinese tech behemoth’s continued resurgence in its domestic market and a cautious step towards reclaiming international ground.

The Shenzhen-based company officially took the wraps off the Huawei Mate XTs, with pricing starting at 17,999 Chinese yuan ($2,520) and scaling up to 21,999 yuan for the model sporting the highest memory configuration. This positions the Mate XTs at the premium end of the foldable market, reflecting Huawei’s confidence in its engineering and design prowess.

While conventional foldable smartphones typically employ a single hinge allowing the device to fold in half, Huawei’s Mate XTs is distinguished by its “trifold” design. This innovative approach incorporates dual hinges, enabling the device to be folded at two distinct points, effectively transforming the smartphone into a tablet-sized display when fully unfolded. This increased screen real estate is aimed at enhancing user productivity and multimedia consumption.

Huawei initially pioneered the trifold concept with the launch of the Mate XT last year, marking the industry’s first foray into this form factor. The device first debuted in China, and was subsequently rolled out to international markets earlier this year, garnering significant attention and establishing a benchmark for future foldable devices.

The tech giant is banking on the Mate XTs to solidify its regained momentum in the Chinese smartphone market since late 2023. The launch comes at a crucial time, as competition intensifies and consumer expectations rise. Huawei’s bet is that the unique trifold design and enhanced functionalities will resonate with users seeking both novelty and practicality.

Recent data underscores Huawei’s strengthening position. The company’s market share in China climbed to 18% in the second quarter, compared to 15% in the same period last year, making Huawei the top smartphone vendor in China, according to Counterpoint Research. Within the Chinese foldable phone landscape, Huawei reigns supreme, commanding a 75% market share, as reported by the International Data Corporation (IDC).

IDC estimates that Huawei has sold 470,000 units of the Mate XT since its launch through the end of Q2 2025, generating over $1.3 billion in revenue. This strong financial performance highlights the commercial viability of Huawei’s foldable strategy and its ability to capture a sizable share of the premium smartphone segment.

“The performance is quite strong considering it’s one of the most expensive smartphones available and this shows there is a demand for something innovative,” noted Francisco Jeronimo, a vice president at IDC, emphasizing the significance of the Mate XT’s success in the face of a challenging economic climate.

The Mate XTs launch serves as a demonstration of Huawei’s revived innovation capabilities, after U.S. sanctions in 2020 severely hampered its smartphone business by restricting access to crucial software and components. Since then, Huawei has doubled down on developing its proprietary operating system, HarmonyOS, and has managed to source less-advanced chips manufactured domestically, enabling the company to stage a remarkable comeback.

Despite its success in China, Huawei still faces significant challenges in expanding its global footprint. Navigating geopolitical complexities and building trust with international consumers remain key priorities for the company’s long-term growth strategy. The Mate XTs, while technically impressive, will need to overcome these hurdles to truly establish Huawei as a global leader in the foldable smartphone market.

The Huawei Mate XTs will be powered by HarmonyOS 5.1, the latest iteration of Huawei’s independently developed operating system. This reinforces Huawei’s commitment to software independence and its ability to deliver a cohesive user experience across its hardware ecosystem.

Huawei is marketing the Mate XTs as a productivity-centric device, offering PC-grade applications optimized for the smartphone’s expanded trifold display. The company hopes to appeal to professionals and power users who demand a versatile and efficient mobile computing experience.

Mirroring a desktop environment, users can seamlessly stack, resize, and relocate various windows across the phone’s expansive screen. This multi-window capability significantly enhances multitasking efficiency and allows for a more intuitive user workflow.

The device will be available in four distinct colors and boasts a 5600 milliampere-hour (mAh) battery, a capacity relatively larger than current devices on the market. This generous battery size aims to address concerns about power consumption associated with larger foldable displays and ensure all-day usage for demanding users.

In a move aimed at enhancing customer satisfaction and addressing potential concerns about the durability of foldable screens, Huawei is offering at least 50% off screen replacements, in addition to two complimentary service appointments that can be scheduled at the user’s home or preferred location. This comprehensive after-sales support package seeks to build consumer confidence and differentiate Huawei from competitors in the premium smartphone segment.