2019 marked the year of the foldable phone, as several smartphone makers announced or teased such creations. Only three foldable devices were unveiled this year, including the Samsung Galaxy Fold, Huawei Mate X, and Motorola Razr. However, durability issues with the Galaxy Fold marred the launch, and Huawei delayed the Mate X as well. Motorola, meanwhile, has just unveiled its foldable handset, so it hasn’t really had to deal with any delays. Of all three phones, the Mate X is easily the better-looking version, sporting a foldable screen on the outside that folds out into an almost tablet-like device. And we now have confirmation that the Mate X will be upgraded in early 2020, and the phone may soon launch in other markets.
The news comes all the way from China, where Huawei’s Richard Yu spoke to French media during a press event. Per FrAndroid, that’s the same event where Yu confirmed that the P40 series will be launched next March in Paris, France.
The exec said the next Mate X, which has been referred to as Mate Xs in some rumors, will have a better hinge, a more durable screen, as well as a faster Kirin 990 chip inside. The handset should be unveiled at MWC 2020. Yu also said that Huawei plans to launch the foldable handset in Europe in the first quarter of 2020, without specifying any actual release dates. Also, it’s unclear whether the 2019 Mate X or the 2020 version will hit stores in the region. Pricing details haven’t been revealed either, but the Mate X is the most expensive foldable phone handset so far, retailing for around $2,500.
Yu also said that Huawei plans to make additional foldable phones in the future, and hinted that future devices might be lighter than the current models.
Samsung is also expected to launch at least one more foldable handset next year, with the clamshell device having been already leaked. That handset is rumored to cost less than $1,000 and looks a lot like the Galaxy S11 when unfolded.
