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Journalism of Courage
Huawei has officially unveiled its second-generation trifold smartphone, the Mate XTs, on September 4. Priced at $2,520 (Rs 2.22 lakh, approximately), the device builds on the success of last year’s Mate XT, which pioneered the trifold design.
Unlike most foldables, which use a single hinge to fold in half, the Mate XTs features two hinges. When fully unfolded, it resembles a tablet, offering a large display for multitasking. Huawei says the device is designed as a productivity tool, powered by HarmonyOS 5.1, with PC-like functionality that lets users stack, resize, and move windows around the screen. Reports suggest it will come with a 5,600 mAh battery.
Huawei first introduced the Mate XT in China last year before expanding to select international markets in 2024. The model has been a commercial success—generating over $1.3 billion in revenue from 470,000 units sold by the end of the second quarter this year, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).
Huawei has also reclaimed leadership in its home market, with an 18 per cent market share in China’s smartphone sector in Q2 2025, up from 15 per cent last year. In the foldable category, the company dominates with a 75 per cent share.
Commenting on the strong sales of Huawei’s trifold, Francisco Jeronimo, vice president of devices at IDC, told CNBC: “The performance is forceful considering it’s one of the most expensive smartphones available, and this shows there is a demand for something innovative.”
The launch of the Mate XTs also highlights Huawei’s efforts to prove it can still innovate despite the 2020 US sanctions that restricted access to critical software and semiconductors. Since then, Huawei has accelerated the development of its own operating system and hardware solutions, using devices like the Mate XTs to showcase its resilience and ambition.
