Remember the Huawei foldable phone that leaked only a week ago? Another image has hit the web, further driving home the likely reality of this device and its billfold-like design. The difference? Last week, the leaked image showed the phone open. Today’s image shows it folded, with three distinct sections that make it unconventional even by foldable phone standards.
The leak comes courtesy of WhyLab on the Chinese website Weibo (spotted by GSMArena). Huawei executive Richard Yu used the phone in both images. When folded, the phone looks to be around the same size as a standard iPhone, although it does have a notably large camera block that resembles the camera on the Huawei Mate lineup.
These pictures have spread like wildfire through social media and leave us wanting more. Digital Trends’ own Andy Boxall calculated the price to be at least $2,780 — on par with the original Huawei Mate X – but bear in mind that this is all speculation, albeit speculation born of experience and prior precedent.
And as Boxall reminds us in his original story, looks can be deceiving. Although the initial image makes the device appear unusually thick, prototype builds are often housed in ungainly housing that both protects and obfuscates the final design.
Unfortunately, that’s where the news stops. While there is a lot of debate as to whether these are truly leaks (versus an intentional guerilla marketing campaign), one fact can’t be denied. Unless you’re willing to import this phone from China, the chances of it being available in the U.S. are slim to none due to trade sanctions.
We can make a few more guesses about the phone’s content. For example, there’s a better-than-average chance this phone will utilize the silicon-carbon battery technology that’s already been adopted by several other Chinese smartphone companies, including Honor. This battery means more efficient energy usage and faster charging times.
The triple-folding phone doesn’t even have a prototype name yet, but the fact it’s been spotted in the wild is a good indicator that it might soon be ready for release (or at least ready for a press conference to satisfy our curiosity). With the Huawei Mate 70 series scheduled for a fourth-quarter release, we probably won’t have to wait long to find out more.