Huawei is Challenging Samsung with New Foldable Phone, Huawei Mate X

by Samra Anees

Samsung’s Galaxy Fold has stirred up the smartphone industry and while we knew that it wasn’t the only one working on foldable phones, Huawei has introduced its own version not too long after. On February 24th, Huawei introduced its foldable phone, the Huawei Mate X. This blog explores the differences (and similarities) of Samsung and Huawei’s products.

Huawei is Outdoing Samsung with Functionality

While the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the Huawei Mate X have similar features, Huawei seems to be one-upping Samsung by the slightest in regards to design, display, and storage— but the camera, battery, and operating systems are fairly similar.

Design

The Samsung Galaxy Fold has a bulkier appearance when folded, whereas the Huawei Mate X has a more seamless and slim design. The Fold has one smaller screen on the outside and a different screen inside, while the Mate X has one screen that can be viewed in three different ways on the outside.

Display

For starters, the Huawei Mate X offers three display views, while the Samsung phone only offers two: the front display and then the unfolded tablet display. The Huawei phone offers a front, back, and unfolded display. The Mate X also offers larger screen; when folded, the small display is 6.6 inches, while the tablet size is 8 inches. Samsung’s displays are 4.6 inches and 7.3 inches.

Storage

The Mate X offers 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB internal storage, while the Galaxy Fold supports 2 GB of RAM and 512 GB also of internal storage.

Camera, Battery, and Operating Systems are the Same

Both the Galaxy Fold and the Mate X have 3 cameras: a wide angle lens, an ultra-wide angle lens, and a telephoto lens. The Huawei Mate X has a 4500mAh battery and the Samsung has a 4380mAh; both are Fast Charging. Both phones run on Android 9 operating system.

Neither are Consumer Prices

Both the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the Huawei Mate X will retail in the ballpark of $2,000. This is an astronomical price and both companies are most likely aware that these are not consumer-friendly prices; you could purchase 1-2 tablets for the price of just one of these phones.

Can We Expect Something Similar from Apple and Google?

The move to foldable phones with two already about to hit the market  puts pressure on Apple and Google to respond. Although we expect the sales of these phone to be limited, the question is how Apple and Google will counter these innovations. We know that Apple has patented a foldable phone technology that challenges the rest, but consumers are waiting to see what Apple and Google will come out with next.

Bottom Line

Huawei has challenged Samsung and definitely stepped up the foldable smartphone game. When comparing the two phones, the Huawei Mate X takes the cake for the more sophisticated, sleek design. It also has slightly better functionality in terms of display and storage, but for the most part, the features of the two phones are the same.  While watching the development for these new phones unravel is intriguing, the fact still remains that these phones are the first of their kind; they are test products and are not mass consumer ready.

Companies like Huawei and Samsung are showing us the engineering feats they can accomplish—which are undoubtedly impressive—and putting giants like Apple and Google under pressure.