Huawei’s tri-fold smartphone is too much of a good thing

Huawei has finally launched its highly anticipated tri-fold phone and while I have to admit it's visually impressive, I'm still left asking 'Why on earth do I need an origami smartphone'? The Huawei Mate XT Ultimate is, in my humble opinion, too much of a good thing, acting as a hybrid between the worlds of tablet and smartphone – two distinct devices that I've never yearned to combine.

There are plenty of flip phones capitalising on the great Y2K revival, saturating the market with a plethora of foldable devices to meet a variety of needs. While I can't say I'm a folding phone convert myself, I admire Huawei's efforts to pioneer a new and unique phone design (that's more than can be said for Apple's latest iPhone 16 launch).

Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design Official Promotional Video - Huawei Triple-foldable - YouTube

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The dual-hinged, triple-screen device is the first of its kind, boasting the functionality of a tablet with the portability of a standard smartphone. When fully collapsed, the OLED screen measures a convenient 6.4 inches, increasing to a sizeable 10.2 inches when fully unfolded from its 'Z' formation. While you might expect the device to appear bulky when compact, its ultra-thin design makes for a sleek appeal across all of its forms. Do I think it looks cool? Yes. Am I convinced by it practically? Not quite.

When it comes to the Mate XT Ultimate I have several bones to pick – the first being its hefty price tag. Retailing in China for a base price of 19,999 yuan (approximately about $2,809), it's a colossal price that trumps even Apple's top-end iPads. In terms of its practical uses, my initial thought was its utility for creatives, but with so many rival drawing tablets optimised for on-the-go art, I'm struggling to find a genuine reason to own this phone (besides its cool aesthetic).

Increasingly I see myself getting more nostalgic for the singular function of Y2K tech, and the old days of simple flip phone design. Call me a traditionalist, but I prefer my devices as one-dimensional as possible – I enjoy the practicality of my smartphone as much as I value the function of a tablet. Keeping these devices seperate is a healthy way to regulate digital overconsumption, something that we'll lose sight of if we keep Frankensteining our tech together in an attempt to make the ultimate smart device.