As expected, Huawei capped off its global flagship-product launch with the announcement of its latest foldable smartphone, the Huawei Mate Xs 2.

(Update, July 1: You can find the Huawei Mate Xs 2’s price and freebies here. Don’t forget to check this out, too: Huawei Mate Xs 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3: Foldable showdown.)

(Update, June 30: We reveal this foldable’s Philippine launch date!)

The Mate Xs 2 joins the Band 7, Watch D, Watch GT 3 Pro, and Watch Fit 2 in Huawei’s latest portfolio of products. Both the Watch GT 3 Pro and Watch Fit 2 will be sold in the Philippines later this month, priced at P16,999 (around $324) and P6,499 ($124), respectively, while the Mate Xs 2 will arrive sometime in July at local retail. We’re told the phone will be offered through open channels, like physical stores and e-commerce platforms.

Huawei’s newest foldable is set to launch in European markets in June with a suggested retail price of €1,999, or roughly $2,096 or P109,889 converted. It will be available in black, white, and violet colors.

The Huawei Mate Xs 2 takes after the previous-gen Mate Xs, which launched back in February 2020 and uses an outward-folding design with an improved Falcon Wing hinge, as opposed to folding like a book. It’s a curious departure from last year’s Mate X2, and it could be a sign that Huawei is souring on the in-foldable design seen on the original Samsung Galaxy Fold.

Regardless of how you feel about the Mate Xs 2’s rehashed look, it’s also noticeably lighter and has smaller dimensions than its predecessor, making it a bit easier to handle and operate. However, make no mistake this device is still a handful even if you’re using it in folded mode.  

The new Mate stretches to a 7.8-inch OLED screen with a 2,200 x 2,480 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate and turns into a 6.5-inch display when folded. Huawei has used a composite material for the panel, making it more durable, while the Nano Optical Layer on top minimizes reflections and keeps the screen clear in direct sunlight.

As with the previous model, you can use the rear-facing part of the panel to take pictures or selfies with the main camera, though you can also take a self-portrait with the phone’s 10-megapixel camera. Curiously, the first Mate Xs doesn’t have a selfie camera. 

Speaking of taking pictures, the Huawei Mate Xs 2 packs a 50-megapixel primary camera, same as the company’s flagship P50 series models, alongside a 13-megapixel ultra-wide option and an 8-megapixel telephoto snapper that offers up to 3x optical zoom. Huawei says that its flagship-level camera is bolstered by the company’s XD Fusion Pro and True-Chroma Image Engine on the software front.

The back of the phone features what Huawei calls a 3D Fiberglass Design that looks premium and adds a texture to the rear panel to make it easier to hold when unfolded.

Inside, the Mate Xs 2 pairs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G chipset, similar to what the Huawei P50 Pocket has, and comes in a single 8GB/512GB storage configuration. It also fits a 4,600mAh battery that supports the brand’s 66-watt fast-charging standard.

Unfold a brand-new technological adventure with #HUAWEIMateXs2.

Equipped with our latest foldable phone innovation, the world’s 1st Double-rotating Falcon Wing Hinge design guarantees you a smooth folding experience.

Explore more: https://t.co/x3g7ghR4FN pic.twitter.com/5ZSgV9j1qq

— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) May 18, 2022

Huawei Mate Xs 2 introduction video

Huawei Mate Xs 2 specs

• 7.8-inch OLED foldable display, 2,200 x 2,480 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 10-bit color
• 6.5-inch OLED cover display, FHD+ resolution
• 5nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G processor
• Adreno 660 GPU
• 8GB RAM
• 512GB storage
• Triple 50-megapixel main, 13-megapixel ultra-wide, 8-megapixel telephoto rear cameras
• 10-megapixel front camera
• Side fingerprint reader
• 4,600mAh battery with 66-watt USB-C charging
• EMUI 12
• Color options: White, black, and violet

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