Huawei Unveils $2,600 Foldable 'Mate X' Smartphone to Rival Samsung's Galaxy Fold

[DNichter]

Perhaps you misunderstood. I asked for YOUR experience with the device.

I’m going by the what has been shown of the devices so far. Everything I mentioned has been shown in hands on videos. I don’t need hands on experience to know that they are junk. There’s a reason why they aren’t letting anyone out of their companies show them off, the experience is bad. I’m assuming your personal experience has shown otherwise?

 

[mattster16]

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Apple and the other manufacturers don't believe anyone would buy one so they don't make one, thus people believe it wouldn't sell. And if they do, they sell a gimped version that doesn't appeal to the very people who are asking for it.

Or maybe Apple and the other manufacturers have rock solid market data that tells them otherwise? That’s the more likely scenario here. Sure they would sell some volume of them, but it seems they have concluded that volume is not significant enough.

 

[RecentlyConverted]

I don’t see this being any better than a traditional tablet. Portability doesn’t change that.

My pocket won't hold a tablet.

 

[mattster16]

You can see hands on videos that show the materials, creased screens, weird aspect ratios, and wonky software. The no app support part is just a guess, but considering Android tablets don’t have much app support as is, I doubt that developers are going to be lining up to develop apps for devices no one is going to buy.

This is one big big thing. Outside of Samsung’s own apps and maybe a few others, who is going to implement yet another screen size/multi screen into their app? App developers are already sick of trying to cater to the crap ton of different Android aspect ratios, hardware differences, etc.

 

[nwcs]

Or maybe Apple and the other manufacturers have rock solid market data that tells them otherwise? That’s the more likely scenario here. Sure they would sell some volume of them, but it seems they have concluded that volume is not significant enough.

There's no evidence they do or do not. It's simply speculation. And in a mature/declining market the typical response of a company is to either reinvigorate sales with variety or redefine the problem. Everyone single-mindedly pursuing phablets is akin to the proverbial lemmings off a cliff. Eventually many people will tire of these big devices.

 

[cult hero]

Oh noooo, ugly ugly crease

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I don’t want to take anything away from what looks like an awesome device but the two things that stuck out to me were:

1. This looks way cooler than Samsung’s offering.
2. That crease would drive me nuts.

The only way I’d get too excited about a device like this would be if it was running a “proper” OS and NOT a specifically mobile one. However, the tech is super cool. I’m more interested in where these devices are going than I expected.

 

[DNichter]

My pocket won't hold a tablet.

Correct, but that doesn’t make this device any better for the tasks you mentioned. If it’s that critical for you to be able to put a tablet in your pocket, so be it, go wild and be the first to purchase, but I would rather my tablet be really good at being a tablet opposed to accepting a bunch of compromises just for portability. A creased screen certainly puts a damper on that tablet experience.

 

[Porco]

I feel like I'm just watching companies play a silly game where they compete make the most unnecessary products for the highest prices they think they can charge and keep upping the ante. It actually makes Apple look like the sensible ones for charging (only just...) four figures for an iPhone. Ridiculous!

This folding technology is especially funny to me because it's throwing down a gauntlet to Apple, the company obsessed with their products being thinner and thinner, and brazenly saying 'here's a new thing you don't sell yet, at a higher price level than your products, but whose selling point is you carry it around at twice the thickness, ON PURPOSE! Your move Apple, what'cha gonna do about this then huh?!'

More seriously, I think the fact they can fold displays like this could be interesting to me at some point depending on the product, but neither this or Samsung's attempt is at all tempting to me at all. I don't see the value in it. You're paying extra to have a less-than optimal experience just to have a tablet and phone in one device. But you could just buy a nice tablet and phone... *shrug*

I could absolutely see something like an Apple Watch successor that is like a display bracelet/gauntlet that could use the display tech though.

 

[redneckitengineer]

Wow, they just outdid Samsung big time. I hope they can fix the crease.

 

[DNichter]

This is one big big thing. Outside of Samsung’s own apps and maybe a few others, who is going to implement yet another screen size/multi screen into their app? App developers are already sick of trying to cater to the crap ton of different Android aspect ratios, hardware differences, etc.

No one. Android has provided tablet support tools for years and there are still lacking. Now they have to use new tools made for these Frankenstein devices, good luck.

 

[mattster16]

There's no evidence they do or do not. It's simply speculation.

The evidence is that they have not released the product you describe, even though it would be relatively easy for them to do so if they knew it would be a $ maker.

 

[pl1984]

I’m going by the what has been shown of the devices so far. Everything I mentioned has been shown in hands on videos. I don’t need hands on experience to know that they are junk. There’s a reason why they aren’t letting anyone out of their companies show them off, the experience is bad. I’m assuming your personal experience has shown otherwise?

Like you I do not have any personal experience with it. Unlike you I'm not saying it's good or bad. I'm withholding judgement until they're available and read reviews and see for myself.

 

[ColdShadow]

Just wait 10 years,and hopefully Apple will also make a foldable iPhone/iPad hybrid,until then,expect more “refinement” on iPhone,introduction of new colors maybe new smart case shades,and possibly that beautiful “eye patch” style triple protruding camera on back and of course all these innovations cost more money..so price hike every year too

 

[Chrjy]

I don't understand this. To make a folding screen like this you'd have to have a good amount of surplus plastic when bent....this is the reason you are able to see so many crinkles on the devices screen. When the device is extended fully, there is no way it could possibly have a totally flat screen due to the surplus needed which would stretch when bent.

 

[The Cappy]

This is a real leap in the smartphone world, and a technical marvel at the least. Until we have completely AR/VR based headsets, folding smartphones will be the next big thing in the mobile computing world. Being able to have a smartphone and table all in the same device is huge (literally). Huawei and Samsung haven't cracked the software/hardware implementation just yet but this is extremely promising (Although, Huawei's version is leagues better than Samsung's). I can't wait for the folding iPhone.

Personally, I'd far rather have an LTE tablet with Phone.app enabled.

 

[yellowtonkatoy]

Not to be outdone by Samsung, Chinese smartphone company Huawei today unveiled its own foldable smartphone at Mobile World Congress, the Huawei Mate X.

The Mate X uses what Huawei calls a "Falcon Wing" design with a stretchable hinge that allows the smartphone to transform from a 6.6-inch OLED smartphone to an 8-inch OLED tablet, making it bigger than Samsung's recently introduced Galaxy Fold.

Huawei designed the Mate X to fold in the opposite direction of Samsung's Galaxy Fold, so the display is visible on both the front and back of the device when collapsed down to smartphone view. The "wing" at the side houses the camera and allows the Mate X display to be notch free.

When folded, it measures in at 11mm thick, but when open, the device is just 5.4mm thick. There's a multi-lens Leica camera included, and the design of the Mate X allows for the front and rear cameras to use the one camera system for selfies and rear-facing images of the same quality.

The Leica camera system includes a 40-megapixel wide-angle lens, a 16-megapixel ultra wide angle lens, and an 8 megapixel telephoto lens. There's also a fourth camera that will be activated later.

Like Samsung, Huawei plans to focus on multitasking, allowing the Mate X to be used split screen. Samsung has developed an App Continuity feature that keeps the same app open regardless of whether its Galaxy Fold is open or closed, and Huawei could be planning something similar.

Huawei is equipping the Mate X with a 5G modem, which will allow it to connect with 5G networks for futureproofing purposes. Samsung's Galaxy Fold also offers a 5G option.

A fingerprint sensor is integrated into the power switch for biometric authentication purposes, and Huawei says that the Galaxy Fold features a 55W SuperCharge feature that lets the included 4,500mAh battery charge to 85 percent within 30 minutes.

Huawei Mate X in action via Engadget​

Samsung is pricing its Galaxy Fold at $1,980, which shocked many people when it was announced, and as it turns out, the Mate X is even more expensive. Huawei will charge 2300 euros for the Mate X, which translates to a whopping $2,600.

While the Galaxy Fold will be available in late April, Huawei's version won't go on sale until June or July. It's not clear if the Mate X will be available in the United States, but it is unlikely given Huawei's conflicts with the U.S. government.

There have been some rumors suggesting that Apple is exploring folding screen technology, and that multiple folding smartphones are coming to the market likely means this is something that the Cupertino company is looking into, but right now there are no rumors indicating Apple plans to actually release a foldable smartphone in the near future. It's not yet clear if the foldable smartphone trend will catch on and dictate the future of the smartphone industry or if it's a fad that will disappear a few years down the road.

Article Link: Huawei Unveils $2,600 Foldable 'Mate X' Smartphone to Rival Samsung's Galaxy Fold

These foldable phones all gimmick. I’ve complained about the latest iPhones being too big, but these foldable phones from Samsung and Huawei look like they’ll be unholdable. I checked out the Galaxy S10 lineup at Best Buy this morning, and they feel like plastic junk in the hand. They make the latest iPhone lineup look and feel much more attractive now.

 

[DNichter]

Like you I do not have any personal experience with it. Unlike you I'm not saying it's good or bad. I'm withholding judgement until they're available and read reviews and see for myself.

Well that’s ultimately up to you, but you can clearly see all of the issues I have mentioned. I don’t expect them to be fixed at launch. Reviews for these devices are going to be entertaining.

 

[mattster16]

Could you even imagine what would happen if Apple released something like this with a wonky visible crease in the display? ‘Crease-gate’ would be front page in the NYTimes and “breaking news” on CNN and Apple would be the butt of all Android user’s jokes. Any other company does it and it’s just “innovative 1st gen technology”.

 

[nfl46]

It looks better than the Samsung one, but those prices, though! Whew! 3rd or 4th generation (2022/2023) is when these will finally take off.

 

[827538]

Interesting, but it still sort of feels like a solution in search of a problem. Plus I seriously question the robustness of such tech.

I'd rather just have an iPhone XS without the notch and $200 cheaper than this.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Oh noooo, ugly ugly crease

Exactly.

But should we be surprised? It's a flexible plastic screen.

We had plastic screens on cell phones for years... but they were hard plastic. And eventually they were replaced by tough Gorilla Glass. A welcome improvement, IMO.

But this is a thin flexible film that appears to be simply resting on the support-surface below. Of course it's gonna bend, flex and wiggle around under your fingers. And crease.

That's the first thought I had when I saw prototypes of upcoming flexible OLED screens at trade shows.

I thought "I'll achieve its goal of enabling a foldable phone... but the tradeoffs include being a non-rigid, potentially creasable screen..."

And here we are...

 

[pl1984]

Well that’s ultimately up to you, but you can clearly see all of the issues I have mentioned. I don’t expect them to be fixed at launch. Reviews for these devices are going to be entertaining.

Yep, it is. IOW all you're offering is your opinion with no hands on experience and you know what they say about opinions.
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Interesting, but it still sort of feels like a solution in search of a problem. Plus I seriously question the robustness of such tech.

Just like large display screens until Apple decided to use them.

 

[RecentlyConverted]

Personally, I'd far rather have an LTE tablet with Phone.app enabled.

Well, we all have different needs, wants and funds. Hence why even Apple now makes multiple iPhones. A foldable iPhone is just an extention of that line up.

 

[mattster16]

Exactly.

But what do you expect? It's a flexible plastic screen.

To be fair, we actually don’t know what the material is. I just did some googling and there are flexible glass screens, made with ultra thin glass that can fold back on themselves with a 5mm radius. Some foldable screens also use glass everywhere except at the foldable section which is plastic.

Either way, durability is likely a huge issue.

 

[rumorsdan]

Be interesting if Apple chooses to go down this foldable phone path.