During a virtual press conference themed, “TOGETHER, Connecting Possibilities,” Huawei launched the HUAWEI Mate Xs, the next evolution of the revolutionary HUAWEI Mate X foldable handset. Packed full of Huawei’s newest technology, the HUAWEI Mate Xs is considered Huawei’s most high-end device featuring the Kirin 990 5G SoC and an improved Falcon Wing Design, delivering powerful performance and seamless user experience across smartphone and tablet modes.

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, said “The HUAWEI Mate X was our first foray into the foldable category and it set the standard for the industry. The HUAWEI Mate Xs is raising the bar further with even more powerful connectivity and integrated user experiences. It’s the fastest 5G smartphone of its class. Prepare to meet the unprecedented – again.”

Unfold limitless possibilities

The HUAWEI Mate Xs delivers a true FullView experience with an 8-inch outwards-folding display enabled by the new mechanical hinge design. First deployed on the HUAWEI Mate X, the Falcon Wing design features more than 100 interlocking parts working in perfect harmony to reinforce the display while delivering a seamless user experience across the two modes.

Made with a zirconium-based liquid metal, the upgraded hinge is much more durable, facilitating a satisfying full 180-degree fold.

The HUAWEI Mate Xs is equipped with a flexible display featuring an innovative two-layer polymer structure. The foldable display is manufactured using a Huawei-pioneered technique adhering two layers of aerospace-grade polyimide with an optically clear adhesive. This unique material allows the display to produce great image quality, colour saturation and brightness while retaining a high degree of durability.

Folded, the HUAWEI Mate Xs is a powerful dual-screen smartphone featuring a 6.6-inch main screen and a 6.38-inch secondary screen. Unfolded, the smartphone becomes an 8-inch tablet that delivers a viewing experience across a myriad of work and play scenarios unrivalled by that of any other smartphone.

The HUAWEI Mate Xs includes a Flying Fish Fin Cooling System that is designed for the foldable form factor. This unique cooling system utilises flexible graphene with microscopic crevices that allow it to fold along with the device and cover the full surface area for even, effective cooling.

Designed especially for the HUAWEI Mate Xs’ slim form factor, the bespoke 5G antenna system exemplifies Huawei’s expertise in telecommunications technology. A result of a lengthy R&D process, the antenna design ensures high speed, stable connectivity on the HUAWEI Mate Xs.

Leading performance and 5G connectivity

Powered by the Kirin 990 5G, the HUAWEI Mate Xs benefits from the full force of Huawei’s most advanced chipset. The SoC includes an octa-core CPU comprising two super-sized custom Cortex-A76 cores, two large custom Cortex-A76 cores and four small Cortex-A55 cores, running at a base clock of 2.86GHz.

Graphics processing is handled by the 16-core Mali-G76 GPU, the most powerful GPU on Huawei handsets, while AI demands are supported by an NPU built on Huawei’s Da Vinci architecture.

The Kirin 990 5G SoC includes an integrated 5G modem, allowing it to simultaneously deliver powerful performance and 5G connectivity with better efficiency and lower heat output. It supports 2G, 3G, 4G, as well as 5G NSA and SA. The SoC supports the full 5G spectrum and 5G+4G Dual SIM Dual Standby, ensuring care-free travels.

Continuing Huawei’s heritage of curating best in class camera systems, the HUAWEI Mate Xs is bestowed with a true flagship camera system. Arranged into a vertical array along the sidebar, the SuperSensing Leica Quad Camera system features a 40MP main camera (wide-angle, f/1.8), 16MP ultra-wide angle camera (f/2.2), 8MP telephoto camera (f/2.4, OIS) and 3D Depth Sensing Camera. The camera system supports a combination of OIS and AI Image Stabilisation for super steady shots and up to 30X hybrid zoom. As an all-scenario camera system, it also supports up to ISO 204800 for capturing incredible photos in low light environments.

The HUAWEI Mate Xs revolutionises the selfie category, allowing the user to take full advantage of the quad-camera system that would traditionally only benefit images shot from the rear of a device. However, by simply reversing the HUAWEI Mate Xs, consumers can use the secondary screen for selfie shots. Furthermore, taking portraits is even more interactive, allowing the subject and photographer to work in unison to develop beautifully styled and captured shots.

Multi-tasking re-invented

The HUAWEI Mate Xs has the ability to transform into a much larger digital canvas thanks to the fold being secured by a physical clasp that can be unfastened at will with an accessible button on the sidebar. This offers more space for users to customise the experience to suit their needs.

The foldable phone natively supports Multi-Window which allows for two apps to be displayed side by side and interact with each other. Text, images and documents can be transferred as easily as dragging and dropping the content from one app to the other.

A dock located at the bottom of the screen provides a space for users to assign apps for quick launch. When two apps are open concurrently, users may launch a third app using the Floating Window feature, which can be used to take care of small tasks such as responding to text messages without exiting the current apps.

The HUAWEI Mate Xs runs on EMUI10.0.1, an Android Open Source Project-based operating system. It not only combines enhanced performance with improved security but also supports the Multi-screen Collaboration feature, which is developed with Huawei’s distributed technology at its foundation. This feature breaks down the boundaries between Windows and Android devices. With this revolutionary multi-device feature, users can easily transfer files between the HUAWEI Mate Xs and a HUAWEI MateBook, as well as control two systems from a single display.

Launched with HUAWEI AppGallery

The HUAWEI Mate Xs will be one of the first Huawei devices to launch with a revamped HUAWEI AppGallery, Huawei’s official app distribution platform.

HUAWEI AppGallery opens the door to a world of quality global apps that tap into the unique capabilities Huawei devices have on offers – such as HiAI and unique connectivity, media, system and security capabilities – as well as apps that users have come to love.

The HUAWEI Mate Xs will be available with a price of £2,299.