China’s Huawei debuts latest version of folding phone
China’s Huawei unveiled its latest folding smartphone Monday
and its first such device to be available internationally, competing in a niche
category with new models from Samsung and Motorola.
The company took the wraps off the new Mate Xs by video
instead of a press launch, as the tech show in Spain where it had planned to
hold the unveiling was cancelled over worries about the new coronavirus
outbreak.
Like its predecessor, the Mate X, which only saw limited
release in China last year, the display wraps around the phone’s outside when
closed and unfolds to a tablet-size eight-inch screen. The company says there
are improvements under the hood, including a redesigned four-layer screen and
upgraded "falcon wing" hinge. It also gets Huawei's latest homegrown
Kirin 990 chipset, a four-lens camera system and can be used on a wider range
of high-speed 5G network bands.
However, the Mate Xs also faces a distinct disadvantage
because it lacks the full Android operating system by Google. The Trump
administration last year blocked Huawei’s access to U.S. components and
technology on national security grounds, part of a wider trade and tech war
between the U.S. and China.
Instead, the Mate Xs runs a stripped-down open source
version of Android. Users can still download apps but they’ll be from Huawei’s
own app store, not the Google Play store.
Huawei, the world’s No. 2 phone maker, faces competition
from Samsung and Motorola, which recently launched new folding screen
smartphones.
Faced with stagnating sales as consumers hold on to their
devices longer, smartphone makers have turned to foldable technology to
rejuvenate the market. It’s unclear, however, whether the pricey devices will
appeal to more than just die-hard tech enthusiasts.
There are also questions about reliability. Samsung's first
folding device, the Galaxy Fold, was plagued by reports of screens breaking
after it was unveiled last year, delaying its launch for months.
The phone is expected to go on sale in March priced at 2,499
euros ($2,700) though it’s unlikely to be widely available in the U.S.
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