Chinese smartphone vendor Huawei challenged Apple this year in an unexpected way. Huawei unveiled the world’s first commercially available tri-fold phone, the Mate XT, on the same day Apple unveiled the iPhone 16 series. The events took place just hours apart.
The iPhone 16 went on sale on Friday around the world, with the most expensive versions being sold out online in some markets. The tri-fold Mate XT stock is even more limited than the iPhone 16. It can’t be easy to manufacture a foldable phone with three display sections and two hinges, especially when there’s no guarantee that buyers will pay almost $3,000 to get the cheapest version.
It turns out that the Mate XT has generated such interest in China, the only country where it’s available to purchase, that scalpers are already selling it for up to $10,000 online.
According to the South China Morning Post, more than 6.3 million no-deposit reservations were made on Huawei’s Vmall e-commerce platform.
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These aren’t the same thing as preorders. We’re not looking at some 6.3 million paying customers looking to spend at least $2,800 on the tri-fold phone. But it shows that plenty of people are interestted in buying a phone that becomes a 10-inch tablet.
Scalpers are taking advantage of that interest. They’re reselling the Mate XT for prices going up to $10,000. Scalpers might be the only source of Mate XT units in international markets. It’s unclear whether Huawei will ever launch the tri-fold outside of China.
A closer look at the Mate XT’s two hinges. Image source: Huawei
I’d warn you against paying that much for any smartphone, particularly a tri-fold design. If something happens to that massive display, screen repairs will set you back about $1,000. If you’re ready to spend $10,000 on the device, screen repairs might be the least of your problems. On that note, $1,000 will get you almost any iPhone 16 you want.
But I’ll remind you of an even bigger problem. The Mate XT can’t run Google’s version of Android. Huawei is banned from accessing US-made tech, including software. Even without a ban in place, we’re looking at the China-bound Mate XT, which would ship without Google apps. Google doesn’t operate in China.
Finally, I’ll remind you that something better might come along in the following years. Apple reportedly wants to launch a foldable MacBook/iPad before making a foldable phone, and others might release similar devices.
I liked the idea of tri-fold phones earlier this year, but I’ve reconsidered my stance. I’d love a foldable device that gets me a large 10-inch screen like the Mate XT can but without as many moving parts.
While I won’t entertain the idea of using a tri-fold device like the Mate XT anytime soon, Huawei’s tri-fold gamble is working in its favor. The Mate XT got plenty of attention, and the price action from scalpers is further proof of that.
Scalpers charge up to $10,000 for the Mate XT, more than triple the official price of Huawei’s tri-fold handset.
