Forget the iPhone 16 – Huawei just launched one of the most revolutionary phones ever

This could be the start of a new era

The Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master three-way foldable phone
(Image credit: Huawei)
Quick Summary

Huawei has just launched its three-way foldable phone.

That's the first product of its kind in the world.

Last night, at the Apple launch event, the Cupertino-based company unveiled a range of new products. But chief among them was the new iPhone 16 range.

With a new design which looks reminiscent of the iPhone 5C – and a new Capture button for photography lovers – the device represents the pinnacle of current technology for the brand.

But there was an even more exciting release overnight, which looks set to be a much more significant technological feat. Dubbed the Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master, this is the tri-fold design which we've seen leaked in recent weeks.

That's the first three-way foldable phone to hit the market. While the current crop of handsets utilise a single hinge to open out like a book, this Huawei handset folds like a Z-shape. That enables users to trade between a regular phone-sized device and a tablet as needed.

The handset sits just 12.8mm thick when folded down to a single-screen setup – certainly impressive given the two extra displays hidden inside of that – and as slim as 3.6mm when unfolded. That's absolutely tiny, and should make this a really comfortable hold in it's widest setting.

You'll even find a whopping 5,600mAh battery inside. That's comprised of a trio of smaller cells, each located in the segments of the folding chassis.

It's no slouch in the camera department, either. A triple rear-camera array includes a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide and a 12MP periscope telephoto. That offers a 5.5x optical zoom, with a 50x digital zoom to boot. 

There is, of course, one slight sticking point. Priced from 19,999 yuan (approx. £2,145; $2,800; AU$4,200) it's not cheap. That's even before we get into conversion prices – and the fact that Huawei still can't make use of any Google apps or the Android operating system.

Still, it's a killer leap forward in the technology space, and one which should be celebrated.

Sam Cross
Senior Staff Writer

Sam is an award-winning journalist with over six years of experience across print and digital media. As T3’s Senior Staff Writer, Sam covers everything from new phones and EVs to luxury watches and fragrances. Working across a range of different social media platforms alongside his written work, Sam is a familiar face for fans of T3. When he’s not reviewing snazzy products or hunting for stellar deals, Sam enjoys football, analog photography and writing music.