When I took out the US$3,500 Huawei Mate XT 2 over dinner during China’s “golden week” National Day holiday in early October, the trifold phone quickly became the centre of discussion at the family gathering: my father and his peers took turns playing with the device, marvelling at the sleek design while debating whether it was true innovation or pure luxury.
It wasn’t the first time unfolding its massive 10.2 inch display raised a few eyebrows at dining tables during the week I spent trying out the Huawei Mate XT 2. On high-speed trains and in restaurants, the device occasionally drew curious looks from other passengers and diners.
While the Chinese market is no stranger to foldable smartphones of various designs, ranging from book-style to clamshell, the Mate XT 2, launched in early September, is Huawei’s first double-hinge phone that folds inward like a U-shape, while drawing widespread attention as the most expensive handset in the company’s history.
