Huawei has officially scheduled its next major product showcase for September 7, 2026, where the tech giant will debut the Mate XT 2 tri-fold smartphone alongside HarmonyOS 7. The upcoming device introduces a redesigned inward-folding U-shaped mechanism and an external cover screen, shifting away from the Z-fold design of its predecessor.
Huawei Mate XT 2 Launch Date and HarmonyOS 7 Debut Confirmed
Huawei has officially set the stage for its next-generation folding device. The company announced the HarmonyOS 7 | Huawei Mate XT 2 and All-Scenario New Product Launch Event
for September 7, 2026, putting its next-generation foldable and the latest version of its operating system on the same stage. Huawei has confirmed in a Weibo post that the Mate XT2 will launch next month in China, and the event will also feature Huawei’s recently announced HarmonyOS 7.
While the launch event is confirmed, Huawei has yet to release an official specification sheet for the device. As a result, much of what is currently known about the Mate XT 2’s hardware comes from leaked patent images, renders, and reports, as well as an official advertisement showing a partial view of the upcoming Huawei Mate XT 2 tri-foldable. Following hoardings, many tipsters further dropped official-like images of the Mate XT 2 triple-folding smartphone on the Chinese social media platform.
U-Shaped Inward Folding and Design Upgrades
The most substantial hardware change in the Mate XT 2 is its mechanical structure. A Huawei patent filed in 2023 just leaked on Chinese social media and confirms that the Mate XT 2 will ditch the Z-shaped fold that defined both the Mate XT and the Mate XTs, replacing it with a U-shaped mechanism that tucks the entire flexible screen inside the body. The leaked images reveal a phone that folds both side panels inward over the center screen, which is the opposite of the Mate XT’s approach where one panel folded in and the other folded out, leaving part of the flexible OLED permanently exposed.
The folding sequence matters, too, with the left side folding first and then the right side wrapping over it, which is the reverse of Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold. The company has adopted a G-shaped or U-shaped form factor, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, ditching the old zig-zag folding format. The main advantage of the new inward folding is better protection for the flexible inner display, preventing damage because the main foldable screen remains protected inside the device instead of being exposed. This is particularly useful considering that replacing the original Mate XT’s foldable display costs a whopping $743.
Hardware Rumors and Specifications
While Huawei has not shared full details about the Mate XT2 yet, a video teaser gives us our best look yet at the triple-folding smartphone and confirms rumors that the Mate XT 2 will adopt an inward-folding, U-shaped design. The device could offer both a cover display and a large internal flexible display, with a large circular camera module said to be placed on the center panel, giving the Mate XT2 a different look from its predecessor. Its camera setup is said to be similar to the Mate X7’s.
The tri-fold smartphone is rumored to come with a battery capacity of 6,000 mAh or higher and is said to be powered by a Kirin 9050 Pro chipset, although rumors have also mentioned the Kirin 9030S chip.
Strategic Timing and Market Context
With the launch still over a week away, expect Huawei to reveal more about the Mate XT 2.
