“Huawei is conducting more tests on the Mate X ensure its display and design”
Samsung and Huawei were among the first companies to launch their foldable smartphones, dubbed the Galaxy Fold and Mate X respectively. The Galaxy Fold was scheduled to launch in April, but the brand had to push the release date after tech reviewers spotted some display-related issues with the phone. Now, after Samsung, Huawei has also delayed the launch of the Mate X, which was due for a release this month.
A Huawei spokesperson told CNBC today that the Mate X will be launched in September instead of its scheduled release this month. The company is conducting further tests on the smartphone following the problems Samsung went through with the Galaxy Fold. The phone maker is also doing extra testing with the telecom operators around the globe. In addition, the brand is ensuring that apps work flawlessly when the Mate X is fully folded.
The spokesperson was quoted saying “We don’t want to launch a product to destroy our reputation”. The brand is cautious after all the problems Samsung faced with the display of the Galaxy Fold and postponed the handset’s launch. The South Korean tech giant’s first foldable phone’s display started to break for some reviewers after a day or two of use. The company has now pushed the launch of the Galaxy Fold beyond July.
While the Huawei spokesperson didn’t mention it, there’s also a possibility that the delay of the Mate X is related to the recent restrictions the United States placed on Huawei. Due to the order by government, Google banned Huawei from utilising Android OS. However, the spokesperson mentioned that the Mate X will run Android because it was launched before Huawei by blacklisted by the US.
To recall, the Mate X was unveiled at MWC 2019 in February with a single 8-inch OLED display that folds in two. The phone has the brand’s top-of-the-line Kirin 980 SoC, 5G connectivity, three Leica-powered cameras, and a beefy 4,500mAh battery with Huawei’s 55W SuperCharge tech. The flagship costs a whopping €2,299 (~Rs 1,80,000), much higher than the $2,000 (~Rs 1,40,000) Galaxy Fold.