Huawei surprised the tech world when it introduced the HUAWEI Mate XT Ultimate Design, the first-ever triple foldable smartphone. It also hit 3 million pre-orders in China ahead of its release.
But how did foldables rise to popularity, and how did the HUAWEI Mate XT Ultimate Design’s innovation contribute to the overall progress of foldables?
HUAWEI Mate XT Ultimate Design
Early Emergence: How the Foldable First Began
The tech boom of the 2010s saw a growth in smartphone capabilities. Accessibility of information grew with the possibility of cross-device integration and more efficient and complex mobile software development. Moreover, audio-visual entertainment experienced greater diversification.
The design trend quickly went from Motorola’s DynaTAC in 1983 to IBM’s touch screen in 1994, to Samsung’s 5.3-inch Galaxy Note in 2011, to a full-screen smartphone era led by the iPhone X in 2017. Eventually, a new era of foldables was unleashed by the HUAWEI Mate X in 2019.
At the same time, PCs shrunk into thinner sizes, which birthed the invention of the lightweight tablet. Within 7 years, the world witnessed a revolution in portable devices, from Intel’s launch of lightweight laptops in 2003 to Apple’s introduction of the first iPad in 2010. Huawei followed suit with the HUAWEI MatePad, spearheading a Tablet PC “hybrid” in 2023.
At the intersection of both trends was the foldable, a design that balanced the efficiency of a large screen while still offering portability.
The launch of the HUAWEI Mate X in 2019 has since been regarded as a key milestone in the history of foldables. With its emergence, research institutions predicted the compound growth rate of the foldable market at 21% from 2019 to 2022, projecting that it would reach USD 51.1 billion by 2022.
Dawn of a New Era: The Birth of the Trifold
While the dual-screen foldable had wider user adoption, Huawei already had new plans for what was previously unthinkable – a triple-display foldable that’s lightweight, thin, and durable as the ‘traditional’ dual-screen foldable.
According to a Huawei spokesperson, the tri-fold was conceptualized as early as five years before its launch. This was when the dual-screen technology was only beginning to gain traction in the industry.
Triple foldables were first spotted in MWC and CES in the past, but none of these prototypes became feasible enough for mass production. It wasn’t until the HUAWEI Mate XT Ultimate Design that the world witnessed the impossible.
The HUAWEI Mate XT Ultimate Design may very well change the way users live and work forever as it represents a smoother integration between modes. It makes multi-tasking an easier feat with leisure and entertainment more optimized, while mobile work and productivity are further boosted.
Trailblazing a New Future of Smartphones
According to Counterpoint Research, Huawei dominated the global foldable market’s rise with a recorded 257% Year-over-Year (YoY) growth in Q1 2024.
Since its entry into the tech brands have focused on developing their own foldable devices to contribute to the growing innovation in the space alongside Huawei. Samsung announced its plans to launch its tri-fold smartphone, while Apple has yet to launch its own foldable.
Experts predict the emergence of the HUAWEI Mate XT Ultimate Design could drive even more software manufacturers to ride on the new foldable trend and create a more exciting foldable market.
An Exemplary Story of Audacity and Innovation
Since the progression into the age of modern telecommunications, it is surprising that single-screen devices have remained the standard for so long. Now that experts and engineers have addressed the limitations of single-screen devices and sought to enhance display interaction efficiency, the industry’s approach to the triple foldable will be fascinating to witness.
The story behind the HUAWEI Mate XT Ultimate Design is a testament to the power of bold innovation, demonstrating that envisioning something greater is the key to unlocking the future.
To learn more about the HUAWEI Mate XT Ultimate Design, visit the official website or Facebook and Instagram.
Ram found his love and appreciation for writing in 2015 having started in the gaming and esports sphere for GG Network. He would then transition to focus more on the world of tech which has also began his journey into learning more about this world. That said though, he still has the mentality of "as long as it works" for his personal gadgets.
