(VIDEO) Huawei Confirms Mate XT 2 Tri-Fold Phone Launch for September 7 With New Inward Folding Design

Huawei has confirmed it will unveil its second-generation tri-fold smartphone, the Mate XT 2, at an event in China on Sept. 7, alongside the debut of its latest software platform, HarmonyOS 7, in what the company is billing as an "All-Scenario New Product Launch Event."

The Chinese technology giant announced the launch on its official Weibo account, publishing a promotional teaser confirming the date and a 2:30 p.m. local start time, according to Huawei Central. The teaser image itself revealed little about the device's design, featuring only abstract gradient artwork similar to imagery Huawei has used to promote HarmonyOS 7. Huawei executive Richard Yu has also confirmed the timing publicly and offered an early hands-on preview of the device ahead of its formal debut, according to tech outlet GSMGoTech.

While Huawei has not released official specifications, a video teaser distributed by the company has already confirmed one of the device's most significant changes: a redesigned folding mechanism. According to GSMArena, the video shows the Mate XT 2 will adopt an inward-folding, U-shaped design, a departure from the exposed Z-shaped folding structure used in both the original Mate XT and its successor, the Mate XTs. Some outlets, including GSMGoTech, have described the new configuration as G-shaped, with both outer sections of the display folding inward over the phone's central panel so the flexible screen remains fully enclosed and protected when the device is closed, unlike the first-generation model, which left portions of its display exposed even in its folded state.

The redesign notably mirrors an approach Samsung briefly used and then abandoned. According to technology outlet GaGadget, the Mate XT 2's inward U-shaped fold closely resembles the hinge structure Samsung employed in its Galaxy Z TriFold, a device the South Korean company discontinued after roughly three months on the market. Whether Huawei's version of the design proves more durable than Samsung's short-lived attempt remains an open question heading into the September launch.

Beyond the folding mechanism, a range of additional specifications have circulated in pre-launch leaks and reports, though Huawei has not confirmed any of them. Multiple outlets, including Gizmochina and GSMArena, have reported that the Mate XT 2 could be powered by a Kirin 9050 Pro processor built around stronger on-device artificial intelligence capabilities, though some sources have instead pointed to a Kirin 9030S chip. Rumors also point to a battery capacity of roughly 6,000 mAh, an upgraded hinge intended to reduce the visible crease along the display, and a possible switch to ultra-thin flexible glass, or UFG, aimed at improving screen durability. The device's rear camera system is rumored to closely resemble the setup found on the Mate X7, according to GSMArena, with some reports pointing to a redesigned, horizontally arranged triple-camera layout. Color options have also been rumored to include Mystic Black, Auspicious Red, Crimson Purple and a standard white finish, according to Gizmochina, though Huawei has not confirmed any of those specific choices.

For comparison, Huawei's first-generation Mate XT, introduced in September 2024, featured a 10.2-inch display when fully unfolded and measured just 3.6 millimeters thick at its slimmest point, figures the company will likely aim to match or improve upon with the redesigned second-generation model despite the added engineering complexity of a triple-hinge folding structure.

Alongside the hardware, Huawei is expected to showcase how its newly introduced HarmonyOS 7 platform, first unveiled by the company in June, functions specifically on a tri-fold form factor. Software running across multiple foldable configurations presents distinct challenges compared with standard smartphones or even conventional single-fold devices, requiring the operating system to manage multiple resizable windows and support seamless transitions between folded and unfolded states across three separate screen layouts.

September's event will take place exclusively in China, and Huawei has not indicated whether or when a global variant of the Mate XT 2 might follow, though the company's earlier tri-fold models have historically seen international releases at later dates. The Sept. 7 timing also happens to overlap with the IFA technology trade show in Berlin, though Huawei's launch event will be held separately and streamed via Weibo rather than staged at the German conference. With official specifications still unconfirmed as of this week, the Sept. 7 event is expected to provide the clearest picture yet of how significantly Huawei has reengineered its flagship foldable lineup for its second generation.