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Huawei Releases Its Second Trifold Phone Weeks Ahead of Samsung's Expected Launch

Huawei's first triple-foldable phone was released around the same time last year.

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Headshot of Dashia Milden
Dashia Milden Editor
Dashia is the consumer insights editor for CNET. She specializes in data-driven analysis and news at the intersection of tech, personal finance and consumer sentiment. Dashia investigates economic shifts and everyday challenges to help readers make well-informed decisions, and she covers a range of topics, including technology, security, energy and money. Dashia graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor's degree in journalism. She loves baking, teaching spinning and spending time with her family.
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The Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design trifold phone was released a year ago.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Huawei's second-generation trifold phone, the Mate XTs, is now available, just shy of a year after the company's first trifold phone was released in September 2024. 

The trifold phone isn't much different from the Mate XT, but two big upgrades take the spotlight. The Mate XTs let you use a stylus on the phone's folding screen and comes in purple, red, black or white. It runs on HarmonyOS 5.1, which Huawei calls a "PC-level" experience, and has a new M-Pen 3 stylus.

"In the free multiwindow mode, application windows can be stacked, resized and quickly switched, allowing PC-like efficiency at any time," Huawei said in a press release about HarmonyOS 5.1.

A photo of a woman talking on a Huawei Mate XTs trifold phone while lounging in a seat next to a pool

The Huawei Mate XTs.

Huawei

The Mate XTs also reportedly has an upgraded chip, the Kirin 9020, and a 40MP camera. 

The Mate XTs is now available for preorder in China and will launch on Sept. 12. Its starting price is 17,999 yuan (around $2,520), but it could cost more if you need more memory. 

If you're looking for a foldable phone, similar options should be on the horizon. Huawei's announcement comes just weeks before Samsung is expected to launch its Galaxy Z TriFold on Sept. 29. There are also rumors that Apple could launch a foldable phone as a part of its iPhone 18 lineup in 2026.Â