Kris Carlon / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Recently there have been rumors of a tri-foldable phone is in the works, with many suggesting Huawei was behind the rumored device.
- A new image of Richard Yu all but confirms this, showing off the tri-foldable.
- Industry source Digital Chat Station says this model is entering production soon and will beat the Mate 70 to launch, with the Kirin 9 series chip in tow.
Back in July, we reported on rumors Huawei might be working on an innovative three-screen foldable, potentially beating Samsung and others to the punch. More recently, the same industry source from before, known as Digital Chat Station on Weibo, has alleged the first tri-folding phone is about to enter production. Right on schedule, it seems we’ve now gotten our first look at the device in the wild.
Previously it was unclear if it was Huawei or another company behind this new foldable, but a new image circulating the web shows former Huawei CEO Yu Richard using such a device onboard a plane. The photo reveals a phone that has a centered punch hole for the selfie camera on the left side and two visible creases. The creases aren’t surprising, as it will also feature two hinges, unlike typical foldable phones.
This all but confirms the China-based electronics giant is the manufacturer behind the rumored tri-foldable. If that’s not enough for you, Digital Chat Station (via GizmoChina) has also confirmed the tri-folding device the leaker claims is entering production is the same device DCS saw previously as a Huawei prototype. Reportedly the device in the photos is very similar to what the source was shown earlier.
We already heard suggestions it would have a 10-inch display and a unique hinge design, but DCS also notes the phone will offer a Kirin 9-series chipset, which was previously expected to debut on the Mate 70. Reportedly the new tri-foldable will launch ahead of this, however.
It’s very likely the Huawei Mate 70 series won’t launch until very late 2024, which puts the tri-foldabe phone’s likely launch window around September or October. Of course, Huawei foldables tend to very limited availability outside of China, unless you are willing to import them. This is especially true in the US, where Huawei phones haven’t been officially available for quite some time.
In other words, while a tri-foldable is coming it will likely be unavailable the vast majority of our readers. It’s a shame too, as a recent reader poll made it clear there’s interest in such a device globally.
