Last week’s poll indicated strong interest in Huawei’s new tri-foldable device, the Mate XT Ultimate, with over half of voters expressing interest despite its €3,500 price tag. While 22% showed a desire for the device, many potential buyers are deterred by Huawei’s outdated chipsets and lack of Google Play Store access, making it a less appealing option. Competing companies are developing their own tri-foldables, which may offer better performance and software. Despite skepticism surrounding foldable designs, some view the XT Ultimate as a significant innovation, while others see the tri-fold feature as merely a gimmick.
According to last week’s poll, Huawei may have uncovered a compelling new design for foldable devices with the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate. This first tri-foldable has generated significant interest, although the device itself might not achieve widespread popularity. Huawei is aware of this and has packed the retail box as if it’s a premium limited edition release – which, in some respects, it indeed is.
Examining the poll results, over half of the voters expressed interest in a tri-foldable. While the XT Ultimate might not be the ideal choice, 22% of respondents still indicated their desire for one, which is notably higher than we anticipated, especially considering the device’s hefty €3,500 price tag.
The majority seems to prefer something like the XT Ultimate – however, the price remains a major concern, along with Huawei itself. The company’s chipsets lag significantly behind its rivals, and the lack of Google Play Store access makes this device a non-starter for many consumers.
Other manufacturers, who are not facing the same export restrictions as Huawei, are also developing their own tri-foldables, so alternatives should be available in the near future. But will these options be superior? In terms of performance and software accessibility, undoubtedly yes, but Huawei has demonstrated its expertise in crafting slim foldables, a feat that Samsung has yet to match successfully.
Of course, some view the tri-fold design as a mere gimmick – but indeed, many more believe that the concept of a “foldable phone” is a gimmick as well. Nonetheless, a portion of users sees the XT Ultimate as a bold step in innovation.