Huawei on Tuesday held a global launch for the industry’s first tri-foldable phone, which analysts said marked a symbolic victory for the Chinese tech giant amid U.S. technology curbs. But challenges over pricing, longevity, supply and app constraints may limit its success.

Huawei said at a launch event in Kuala Lumpur that the Huawei Mate XT, first unveiled in China five months ago, will be priced at 3,499 euros ($3,662). Although dubbed a trifold, the phone has three mini-panels and folds only twice. The company says it’s the thinnest foldable phone at 3.6 millimeters (0.14 inches), with a 10.2-inch screen similar to an Apple iPad.

  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    15
    ·
    edit-2
    2 months ago

    Although dubbed a trifold, the phone has three mini-panels and folds only twice.

    It’s three elements that can fold together.
    It’s probably called tri- because it rolls better on the tongue than dual or double fold.

    But goddam €3.499m,- is a steep price, especially considering there were initial reports of quite serious problems with it.

    • miseducator@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      2 months ago

      Trifold wallets fold twice, which also doesn’t make sense, but it’s probably where they got the name.

      • Buffalox@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        2 months ago

        I didn’t know that, but yes, it would probably seem confusing to use different terminologies for essentially the same thing.

  • Sho@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    ·
    2 months ago

    The whole “folding screen” concept is nice but I always have a sense of caution when I play with the idea of buying a folding screen phone. Something that is used as much as a smartphone is can ware out moving components really quickly. Also more parts, more stuff that can break or fail…

  • latenightnoir@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    6
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    edit-2
    2 months ago

    Wake me up when the quadfold drops. Heck, quilt me a smartphone/picnic blanket, then we can talk.

    Edit: I’m sorry if this comes off as too snarky, I just don’t get the trend… I thought we were heading directly away from large form stuff with this whole smartphone thing. I mean, didn’t we already see this not working with tablets, and how they kinda’ ended up repurposed as quasi-laptops?

    • Alborlin@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      2 months ago

      It would be enticing even with that price for some, IF ( THIS IS BIG IF) they could use Google apps. It’s quite useless without Google’s android, and in Western world you can’t use it for banki g purposes due to lack of security

  • enkers@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    edit-2
    2 months ago

    The company says it’s the thinnest foldable phone at 3.6 millimeters (0.14 inches),

    I mean, it better be, otherwise, if its 3x as thick in your pocket, that’s going to be one chonky phone.

    3.6 × 3 = 10.8 mm folded. It’s definitely on the thicker side, but not outlandishly so.