At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona, I had the chance to get a first look at Huawei's new and ambitious device – the Mate XT Ultimate. If you thought you'd seen it all in the world of foldable smartphones, think again: Huawei has taken the concept one step further (and maybe one step too far) with a triple-folding mechanism that allows you to unfold a 10.2-inch screen, fold it into a 7.9-inch intermediate size, or transform it into a relatively "compact" phone with a 6.4-inch display. The device was first announced back in September in China, but now, at the mobile exhibition in Barcelona, we got the chance to see it up close – and honestly? It's a technological beast, for better or worse.
The Screen: Advanced Technology, Impressive Numbers
The Mate XT Ultimate is equipped with a foldable LTPO OLED display, offering a high sampling rate of 240Hz and a resolution of 2232×3184 pixels when fully unfolded. When used in the 6.4-inch mode, the resolution shifts to 2232×1008 pixels, so in terms of sharpness and motion – Huawei has done an impressive job. The screen's flexibility, combined with two intelligent hinges, allows for an adjustable user experience: a full 10.2-inch tablet, a 7.9-inch intermediate version, or a "regular" (more or less) 6.4-inch smartphone.
Design and Build: Sleek and Elegant – Until It Closes
The device manages to maintain an impressively thin profile when open – with a thickness of just 3.6mm at its thinnest point and 4.75mm at its thickest. However, the moment it's closed, the sleek design turns into a rather hefty chunk in your pocket. When fully folded, the thickness jumps to 12.8mm, making it far less convenient. Add to that the substantial weight of nearly 300 grams, and you get a device that is impressive but far from being comfortable for prolonged carrying.
Durability? You Might Not Want to Test It
And here lies the real issue that raises eyebrows – when folded, the device's right edge is completely exposed, essentially forming the main folding hinge. In other words, one unfortunate drop in the wrong spot, and this thing could shatter completely. Even a dedicated case wouldn't truly protect this part, because no matter how you turn it – there's an entirely exposed structure that can't be covered without interfering with the folding mechanism. In short, a device that costs nearly $3,000 and has the durability of a wobbly wedding cake – that's not exactly a recipe for success.
On top of that, if you thought this hardware upgrade comes cheap – think again. Huawei has priced the Mate XT Ultimate at a starting price of 19,999 yuan – roughly $2,812, making it one of the most expensive devices on the market today. The real question is whether the product justifies the price or if it's a technological experiment that's not yet ready for mass adoption.
In any case, there's no doubt that the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate is revolutionary and impressive, setting a new benchmark for foldable devices. However, its weight, thickness when folded, and especially its hefty price tag make it an expensive gamble that likely isn't suitable for most users. And beyond all that, its fragile and exposed structure simply doesn’t align with its outrageous price.
What Are the Mobile Trends for 2025?
"If we had to crown the queen of this exhibition, it's AI. Even though this is a mobile event, the biggest in the world, and over 100,000 people here understand how crucial mobile technology is – AI, like in almost every industry, will also upgrade the mobile world," says Dror Bahat, VP of Marketing at Pelephone, at MWC 2025 in Barcelona. "We'll feel it in much better digital customer service, which will know the customer, eliminating the need to wait for a representative. We'll see AI-driven digital service. Our networks will be much smarter, much better, more eco-friendly, and resource-efficient. So we'll benefit from that as well. Our handsets, our smartphones, will also become smarter. That means we'll see AI integrated into every aspect of the cellular network."
