Back in September 2024, Huawei released the first ever tri-fold phone in the world. Ever since, manufacturers like Samsung and Tecno have rushed to enter the bandwagon but are yet to launch their products. However, reports suggest that Huawei is already working hard on its Mate XT 2 tri-fold.
Weibo leaker DCS (Digital Chat Station) recently shared a partial regulatory listing image of what appears to be the specification list of the second-generation Huawei Mate XT tri-fold. It has mentioned Huawei Terminal Co. Ltd. as the applicant and manufacturing company of the product GRL-AL20.
DCS believes that the GRL-AL20 model number belongs to the Huawei Mate XT 2. As it is evident from the above image, the device is running on the HarmonyOS operating system and is said to feature satellite communication along with dual band 5G support.
This means that the next triple folding smartphone from Huawei will probably launch with ultra-wideband (UWB) support and 5G connectivity. For context, the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design lacked UWB support.
However, UWB support on Huawei foldable smartphones have historically worked only when the device is unfolded. It uses a specialised antenna layout that enables Huawei's Tiantong satellite calling capability. We could expect a similar architecture with the Mate XT 2, or it could be upgraded to support satellite calling even when the device is folded.
Apart from this, the leaker claims that the Huawei Mate XT 2 will likely be powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 9020 processor. It is Huawei's in-house 7 nm silicon that launched back in 2024. It is an octa-core SoC that has a 1x TaiShan V121 @ 2500 MHz, 3x TaiShan V120 @ 2150 MHz and 4x Taishan-Little @ 1600 MHz.
Moreover, upgrades are scheduled to arrive to the camera department as well. The Mate XT 2 will probably feature a 50 MP primary sensor with variable aperture and an upgraded periscope telephoto camera module.
With that said, none of the other key specifications of the next-gen foldable are out yet. Judging by the 1st gen launch timeline, we can expect Huawei to unveil the Mate XT 2 somewhere around September 2025 or early Q4 2025. At launch, it will rival the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold and the Techo Phantom Ultimate G Fold, both of which are expected to be the debut triple-folding smartphones from the respective brands.
