Huawei Mate XT 2 Launched With Kirin 9050 Pro and Improved Tri-Fold Design

Huawei has officially launched the Mate XT 2 in China, bringing a new generation of its unusual dual-folding smartphone to the market. The phone continues Huawei’s push into large foldable devices and arrives at an important time, with Xiaomi preparing its own major foldable launch and Apple expected to enter the segment.

The Mate XT 2 can fold twice and open into a tablet-sized screen. Huawei has also upgraded the internal hardware, folding mechanism, cameras and water resistance compared with the previous generation.

A more powerful dual-folding phone

The Mate XT 2 is powered by Huawei’s new Kirin 9050 Pro chipset. Huawei says the new platform provides higher computing performance while improving power efficiency.

According to the company’s own testing, the Mate XT 2 delivers up to 42 percent better overall performance than its predecessor. The new chipset is also important for Huawei because the company continues to develop its smartphone processors under restrictions on access to advanced overseas semiconductor technology.

The dual-folding mechanism has also been redesigned. The new system is intended to improve the durability and usability of the phone while allowing the large display to fold into a more compact form factor.

Large display with improved privacy

When completely unfolded, the Mate XT 2 turns into a tablet-like device. This gives users considerably more screen space for multitasking, documents, video and other large-screen applications.

Huawei has also introduced an optional privacy screen that can reduce the viewing angle, making it harder for people nearby to see what is displayed. This could be useful when using the large screen in public places such as trains, airports or offices.

The company has improved water resistance as well, making the new generation better suited to everyday use than the original Mate XT.

Huawei faces new foldable competition

The timing of the Mate XT 2 launch is particularly important. Huawei remains the leading foldable smartphone brand in China, where it accounted for 68 percent of foldable shipments during the second quarter of 2026, according to Smart Analytics Global.

However, competition is becoming stronger. Xiaomi is launching the Xiaomi 18 Fold later on September 7, while Apple is expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone alongside its new iPhone lineup on September 9.

This means Huawei’s Mate XT 2 is no longer competing in a market dominated by only a handful of players. Xiaomi is bringing its own in-house XRING O3 silicon and a new wider foldable design, while Apple could bring its huge premium ecosystem into the category.

The Mate XT 2 therefore represents more than another Huawei phone. It is a statement that dual-folding smartphones can become a serious premium category, even as traditional book-style foldables continue to grow.

Huawei has not yet announced broad international availability for the Mate XT 2. For Indian buyers, the key question will be whether the company eventually brings the device to the market and at what price.

With a new Kirin 9050 Pro processor, redesigned folding system, improved cameras and better water resistance, the Mate XT 2 is one of Huawei’s most ambitious smartphones yet. The next few days should make it clear whether Xiaomi and Apple can challenge Huawei’s strong position in the premium foldable market.

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