this post was submitted on 19 Feb 2025
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Huawei on Tuesday held a global launch for the industry’s first tri-foldable phone, which analysts said marked a symbolic victory for the Chinese tech giant amid U.S. technology curbs. But challenges over pricing, longevity, supply and app constraints may limit its success.

Huawei said at a launch event in Kuala Lumpur that the Huawei Mate XT, first unveiled in China five months ago, will be priced at 3,499 euros ($3,662). Although dubbed a trifold, the phone has three mini-panels and folds only twice. The company says it’s the thinnest foldable phone at 3.6 millimeters (0.14 inches), with a 10.2-inch screen similar to an Apple iPad.

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[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 28 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

Although dubbed a trifold, the phone has three mini-panels and folds only twice.

It's three elements that can fold together.
It's probably called tri- because it rolls better on the tongue than dual or double fold.

But goddam €3.499m,- is a steep price, especially considering there were initial reports of quite serious problems with it.

[–] miseducator@lemmy.world 26 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Trifold wallets fold twice, which also doesn't make sense, but it's probably where they got the name.

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

I didn't know that, but yes, it would probably seem confusing to use different terminologies for essentially the same thing.

3500 is a lot for a device with an always exposed, easily scratched display.

[–] dabaldeagul@feddit.nl 6 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Bi-fold would work... But tri means 3 and 3 is a bigger number than 2 sooooo that's what the marketing is going with

[–] Sturgist@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 day ago

Americans would still get confused. Refer to ⅓lb>¼lb burger, flopped because Muricans claim weird fraction math for length is superior....yet still cannot fraction their way out a wet paper bag....

[–] moonlight@fedia.io 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

except bifold and trifold are established terms for wallets, brochures, etc.

I think it makes more sense like this, anyway, especially considering that those words don't really refer to the folds themselves. (trifold can just mean triple)

I was going to say the same thing a bifold wallet is two panels and one for, trifold is the panels and two folds

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yes of course, bi-fold rolls equally well. 👍

[–] Sho@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

The whole "folding screen" concept is nice but I always have a sense of caution when I play with the idea of buying a folding screen phone. Something that is used as much as a smartphone is can ware out moving components really quickly. Also more parts, more stuff that can break or fail...

[–] 0x0@infosec.pub 9 points 1 day ago (2 children)

For what its worth, my galaxy flip 5 is over 2 years by now and have no issues whatsoever. I also work in construction so it is by no means pampered. Ive had regular phones break earlier than this have held up now.

[–] Sturgist@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago

I've got the Honor Magic V3, it's the 2 panel version of the OP device. I've had it for 6 months now, no complaints so far. I'm a stone mason, loooooots of super fine dusts of varying degrees of caustic. I got a slightly more robust case than what came with it, and I'm a bit more careful about what pocket I keep it in. I've dropped it over a dozen times, and mangled the hinge on one case already. But like you, I've had regular phones start failing around now, and this one is still fine. I feel like the first and 2nd gen foldables were where most of the kinks were worked out, and now they're only slightly more delicate in very specific ways compared to a regular slab phone.

[–] Sho@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That's not bad, given your profession. You got a case on it? Just curious since I always get a case with a new phone.

[–] 0x0@infosec.pub 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I do use a case, nothing special, just some random chinese plastic. I also keep it wrapped in plastic protectors, both on the back and front, and tend to switch them out when it begins to look scuffed.

So far it looks kinda brand new besides the edges that have some actual scuff marks, i tend to drop it frequently lol

[–] Sho@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Don't we all haha, thanks for the feedback. I'm sold 😁

[–] FatCrab@lemmy.one 3 points 1 day ago

Seconding the other guy's endorsement of the zflip. I got mine as a really cheap trade in upgrade thinking the folding was just a gimmick and now I'm pretty much always advocating for the thing. Hasn't been any less durable than any other phone I've had and though there's a very minor crease mostly from the protective panel, it's never been an issue.

[–] andyortlieb@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 1 day ago

Very very interesting, and stupid

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

"priced at 3,499 euros ($3,662)"

Mmm... nope!

[–] Alborlin@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (3 children)

It would be enticing even with that price for some, IF ( THIS IS BIG IF) they could use Google apps. It's quite useless without Google's android, and in Western world you can't use it for banki g purposes due to lack of security

[–] ladfrombrad@lemdro.id 4 points 1 day ago

without Google's android, and in Western world you can't use it for banki g purposes due to lack of security

Weird how I can use this PC (Made in China) without needing no oversight from lel Google to access my bank without issue. Right?

[–] moonlight@fedia.io 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And here I am on GrapheneOS trying to get rid of Google. Although I personally would rule out Huawei for privacy concerns. (and the price, of course)

But if you don't care about that, what's stopping you from using Aurora store and your bank's website?

[–] Alborlin@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

So is Aurora Store replacement for play store only? What about Security like android security which is core for vägning apps? I do want to get rid of Google things but email is essential and in dont want paltry GBs subs in have lit of emails. I am all for foss infact any utility which I search on play store I always try foss alternative but Gmail and maps are 1. Too good 2. Too much convenient 3. Highly accessible (e.g. with Google maps I can get local commute options which I highly dependent upon )

[–] EngineerGaming@feddit.nl 2 points 1 day ago

Which is weird, because where I am, most banks don't rely on Google services at all for this precise reason (and as a side effect my bank works perfectly on Graphene). Not all budget Chinese phones lack Google services of course, but Huawei and such are still a big chunk of the market.

[–] latenightnoir@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (4 children)

Wake me up when the quadfold drops. Heck, quilt me a smartphone/picnic blanket, then we can talk.

Edit: I'm sorry if this comes off as too snarky, I just don't get the trend... I thought we were heading directly away from large form stuff with this whole smartphone thing. I mean, didn't we already see this not working with tablets, and how they kinda' ended up repurposed as quasi-laptops?

[–] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 day ago

I want to have a phone that I have to wrangle-fold like an old paper map

[–] iopq@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Call me when the phone folds into an origami swan

[–] Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's a laptop you can fit on your pocket. I think it's a great idea, if it's effective enough. Knowing this company, it isn't... So I'll wait for Samsung.

[–] latenightnoir@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

Sso... like my already existing smartphone. Only larger.

[–] cmgvd3lw@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I kind of get the appeal, like turning your phone into a media munching device.

[–] latenightnoir@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

See, that's just it, I already do that with my standard phone... At this point, they're all basically phablets, Nexus 6 was right all along (although it still did it better, save for the weird speaker system...). Multi-window splits have also been a thing for a good while now, I honestly don't see the point for more screen on my pocket device... Heck, I even mainline it as a secondary PC, use it to have YT/movies in the background while doing stuff on the big dude.

[–] Enkers@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The company says it’s the thinnest foldable phone at 3.6 millimeters (0.14 inches),

I mean, it better be, otherwise, if its 3x as thick in your pocket, that's going to be one chonky phone.

3.6 × 3 = 10.8 mm folded. It's definitely on the thicker side, but not outlandishly so.

Oh man, this is a cool phone, but I'm not touching potential Chinese surveillance equipment.

[–] thatradomguy@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

Still a dumb concept.... just bring back classic flip phones. ffs