Huawei said its foldable phone Mate X will launch in September, slightly later than it was reportedly set to, as it does extra tests following the debacle Samsung went through with its rival device.
The Mate X was unveiled in February but has yet to go on sale. Huawei had initially targeted a mid-2019 launch date and in April, Chinese media reported that it was looking at June. But the spokesperson confirmed the official launch will take place in September. He said that the company was doing extra testing with mobile carriers around the world and developers to make sure their apps work when the device is fully unfolded.
The Mate X has a different form of folding hinge, where the screen folds out, rather than in, and so many have different engineering issues from the Galaxy Fold. Huawei hasn’t allowed any journalists to spend any real time with the phone, however,
Delaying the launch of the Mate X may also be convenient given Huawei’s current troubles around the world. The company has been turned into public enemy number one after the US leveled a series of accusations that it has uncomfortably close ties to China’s leadership. A ban by the US government has seen the company lose support from key suppliers, including Google, ARM and Qualcomm.
