Huawei Delays Launch Of Foldable Mate X Again

Chinese technology giant Huawei has reportedly confirmed that the launch of its foldable phone, tablet hybrid device will delayed once again.

Huawei’s Mate X had been slated to launch in June this year, but that was pushed back until September, and while reasons were not provided, the problems associated with Samsung Galaxy Fold device may not have helped matters.

But now even that September launch date looks unlikely, after Huawei told TechRadar at a press event in China that there is “no possibility” of the folding phone making its September launch date.

Launch delay

“There’s no possibility of a September launch date anymore, which leaves the door open for the Samsung Galaxy Fold to be the first foldable to market,” TechRadar reported.

And it seems that Huawei could be tweaking the next version of the Mate X, expected sometime in 2020.

It is reportedly that the second generation foldable device could could have more screens, after engineers at the Chinese firm reportedly swapped out the steel rear cover in the current Huawei Mate X with a glass back, and those glass surfaces could become touchscreen displays.

Huawei’s folding phone was first shown off to the world in February this year at Mobile World Congress, just a week after the Galaxy Fold had been introduced.

Different design

IDC’s latest figures show that Huawei is currently the world’s second-biggest smartphone maker (after Samsung).

The Chinese firm said at the reveal of its folding device at its MWC launch event that the Mate X’s screen is bigger than the Galaxy Fold when unfolded, and its device is flatter and thinner than Samsung’s when folded shut.

It should be noted that Huawei’s design takes a different tack to Samsung’s, with the screen on the outside.

The Galaxy Fold meanwhile, places the screen on the inside, with a secondary screen on the outside for use when the device is shut.

According to Huawei, the Mate X’s screen measures 8 inches when unfolded, and when closed, features a 6.8-inch screen and a 6.6-inch screen.