The price tag for Huawei’s foldable 5G-enabled phone, the Mate X, is downright astronomical.
The Chinese phone maker launched its new, foldable device on the eve of the Mobile World Congress, a huge gathering of the mobile industry in Barcelona.
The Mate X is set to compete with Samsung’s recently announced Galaxy Fold, which is priced at about $1,960 before taxes. The cheapest version of the Mate X goes for $2,600, including taxes.
The comparisons between the Samsung and Huawei phones don’t stop there.
Huawei made sure to highlight the foldable phone’s 5G connectivity, a technology at the center of its quest for global dominance in the smartphone market.
Samsung will offer a version with 4G and a version with 5G.
Phone makers have begun rolling out foldable phones with a bang, but analysts remain skeptical.
“No matter how innovative and technologically advanced the new device is, it will take a lot more time for a critical mass of consumers to experience the benefits of foldable phones and 5G technology,” said Thomas Husson, an analyst at Forrester.
Apple’s iPhone glass supplier Corning is testing flexible glass as Samsung and Huawei roll out their first foldable phones.
