Chinese tech giant Huawei has held a global launch for the industry’s first tri-foldable phone. Analysts say it marked a symbolic victory for Huawei amid U.S. technology curbs but that challenges over pricing, durability, supply and app constraints may limit its success.

Huawei on Tuesday held a global launch for the industry’s first tri-foldable phone, which analysts said marked a symbolic victory for the Chinese tech giant amid U.S. technology curbs. But challenges over pricing, longevity, supply and app constraints may limit its success.

Huawei said at a launch event in Kuala Lumpur that the Huawei Mate XT, first unveiled in China five months ago, will be priced at 3,499 euros ($3,662). Although dubbed a trifold, the phone has three mini-panels and folds only twice. The company says it’s the thinnest foldable phone at 3.6 millimeters (0.14 inches), with a 10.2-inch screen similar to an Apple iPad.

  • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
    28·
    2 days ago

    Although dubbed a trifold, the phone has three mini-panels and folds only twice.

    It’s three elements that can fold together.
    It’s probably called tri- because it rolls better on the tongue than dual or double fold.

    But goddam €3.499m,- is a steep price, especially considering there were initial reports of quite serious problems with it.

    • miseducator@lemmy.worldEnglish
      26·
      2 days ago

      Trifold wallets fold twice, which also doesn’t make sense, but it’s probably where they got the name.

      • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        2 days ago

        I didn’t know that, but yes, it would probably seem confusing to use different terminologies for essentially the same thing.

    • Da Bald Eagul@feddit.nlEnglish
      71·
      2 days ago

      Bi-fold would work… But tri means 3 and 3 is a bigger number than 2 sooooo that’s what the marketing is going with

      • Sturgist@lemmy.caEnglish
        9·
        2 days ago

        Americans would still get confused. Refer to ⅓lb>¼lb burger, flopped because Muricans claim weird fraction math for length is superior…yet still cannot fraction their way out a wet paper bag…

      • moonlight@fedia.io
        10·
        2 days ago

        except bifold and trifold are established terms for wallets, brochures, etc.

        I think it makes more sense like this, anyway, especially considering that those words don’t really refer to the folds themselves. (trifold can just mean triple)