Huawei Technologies has launched a high-end folding smartphone in South Africa that retails for a staggering R70 000 — and that’s the introductory pricing.

The Z-shaped tri-fold Mate XT – a three-way foldable phone – was first announced by the Chinese telecommunications and consumer electronics giant last September at a price then of US$2 800.

Folding phones offer a form factor that has gained popularity in China, despite the higher cost of the devices. Huawei likely sees the Mate XT as a “halo” device to showcase its design prowess in smartphones, despite US-led technology supply restrictions on the company.

When fully unfolded, the Mate XT offers a tablet-sized, 10.2-inch display that folds into a format small enough to fit in a pocket. Huawei has claimed that unfolded, the Mate XT is the thinnest smartphone in the world at just 3.6mm. Despite this, the phone still packs in a 5.5x telephoto lens in its camera system. It also has an ultra-wide lens.

Huawei said the Mate XT’s design is possible because of what it has described as an “engineering breakthrough” in its hinge design, which folds both inward and outward.

“To guarantee long-term durability, Huawei has engineered the folding mechanism with ultra-high-strength steel, ensuring it withstands continuous, frequent use without compromising reliability,” it said.

Niche

Although Huawei is unlikely to sell the Mate XT in volume in the price-sensitive South African market, it may find a niche among high-end business users.

At the same time as the launch of the Mate XT, Huawei is also launching the more affordable but still high-end Mate X6 smartphone, featuring dual OLED displays that unfold to a device that’s 4.6mm thick. The Mate X6 has a 50-megapixel primary lens and 10-stop adjustable aperture system.