Huawei Mate XT2 moves one day from Chinese retail launch

Huawei's Mate XT2 is now one day away from its September 12 Chinese retail launch. The second-generation tri-fold represents one of the industry's most ambitious attempts to merge a phone and tablet into one device. Two hinges allow the screen to expand to roughly 10 inches, while the new Kirin 9050 Pro processor powers Huawei's proprietary software and multitasking features. Huawei has also improved water resistance and introduced a privacy-screen option.

Pricing begins at 19,999 yuan and rises to 24,999 yuan, keeping the device firmly in ultra-premium territory. Huawei already controls a major share of China's foldable market, so the XT2 is not merely an engineering demonstration. It is a commercial flagship designed to reinforce the company's dominance as Apple and Xiaomi increase competition. Tomorrow's retail launch will provide the first meaningful indication of demand for Huawei's second-generation tri-fold concept.