Huawei has opened pre-orders in the UAE for a new white finish of its Mate XT Ultimate Design, the company’s trifold smartphone that has drawn attention primarily for its unusual folding form factor rather than incremental hardware changes. The new colour option does not alter the underlying device but expands the range with a lighter, more understated exterior aimed at buyers who prefer a cleaner visual profile.
Pre-orders for the white Mate XT Ultimate Design with 1TB of storage begin on 29 December via Huawei’s official UAE website. The listed price is 9,999 AED, reduced from an earlier 12,999 AED reference price, and includes a foldable keyboard valued at 499 AED. Availability and pricing suggest Huawei is positioning the device as a niche, premium offering rather than a mass-market flagship, even with the temporary discount.
The white variant uses a vegan leather back panel, chosen for durability and grip rather than gloss. Gold-toned accents remain part of the design, most notably around the circular camera housing. Huawei continues to lean on its “Eonic curves” camera ring, which features a marble-like vein pattern created through layered metal processing. While the company highlights the complexity of this technique, the result is largely aesthetic and does not impact camera performance.
The Mate XT’s defining feature remains its trifold display. When fully unfolded, the screen stretches to 10.2 inches, making it larger than most tablets. Folded completely, it presents a 6.4-inch display comparable to a conventional smartphone, while a partial fold reveals a 7.9-inch dual-screen layout. This flexibility allows the device to shift between phone, small tablet, and larger canvas depending on use, though it also introduces trade-offs in weight, thickness, and long-term durability that remain common concerns with foldable hardware.
To support the complex folding structure, Huawei uses a high-strength steel hinge system designed to fold both inward and outward. Despite the mechanical complexity, the device houses a 5,600mAh battery and supports 66W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, figures that align with upper-tier smartphones rather than exceeding them.
On the imaging side, the Mate XT includes a variable physical aperture with ten adjustable steps, alongside ultra-wide and periscope lenses offering up to 5.5x optical zoom. These features give users more manual control than typical smartphone cameras, though real-world results will still depend on software processing and sensor performance.
Overall, the white Mate XT Ultimate Design does not redefine Huawei’s trifold concept, but it refines the presentation. For buyers interested in large-screen foldables and willing to accept the compromises that come with early-generation form factors, the new colour option adds variety without changing the core proposition.
