China’s Huawei ramps up foldable handset battle with global launch of Mate X7

The Huawei Mate X7, which was released in China last month, features a thickness of 4.5mm (0.2 inches) when unfolded. The device, including the battery, weighs up to 236 grams.

It was rolled out globally at an event in Dubai on Thursday. Featuring a 5,600mAh battery with a heat-dissipation system, the Mate X7 promised “all-day battery life”, according to a company statement.

The device was also the firm’s first slim foldable smartphone to have “the same level of imaging capabilities as a standard flagship phone”, the company said. Huawei upgraded the “True-to-Colour” camera on the back to deliver a 43 per cent improvement in colour accuracy.

Despite being under US sanctions since 2019, the Shenzhen-based tech giant has intensified marketing efforts overseas. In February, the company launched what was then the world’s only trifold smartphone, the Huawei Mate XT, on the global market.

The Dubai event also marked the overseas launch of other Huawei products, including the FreeClip 2 earphones with a new rose gold finish for the international market, as well as the Huawei Ultimate Design waterproof smartwatch.