Huawei Mate X is set to receive an improved version next year, Huawei Technologies Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu confirmed in a media interview. The Mate X upgrade is said to carry an improved design with the better hinge and a more resistant display over what was featured on the original model that was unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in Barcelona.
While the current Mate X model is yet to reach markets like India and the US, its improved version is likely to debut as early as the first quarter of 2020. Huawei is also in plans offer HiSilicon Kirin 990 SoC on the new foldable smartphone.
The improved Huawei Mate X version with an overhauled design is set to launch at MWC 2020, according to a report by the French technology website Frandoid, citing Richard Yu. It is unclear whether Huawei will continue to offer the same foldable design, which carries a flexible screen that flips around its back when folded. However, the report does mention that there will be improvements towards the hinge and display.
In August, a Mate X surfaced on China’s TENAA database that included images hinting at subtle changes over what was unveiled at MWC this year. The phone was listed with model number Huawei TAH-AN00 and appeared to have tweaked button placements and an improved hinge structure.
Huawei is yet to launch the original Mate X in many global markets including India. Nevertheless, the foldable smartphone debuted in China in October.
Alongside launching the Mate X in China, Huawei showcased a slide giving a sneak peek at the Mate XS that included the HiSilicon Kirin 990 SoC along with an integrated 5G modem. This was unlike the Mate X that has the Kirin 980 SoC and a separate Balong 5000 modem to enable 5G support.
The Mate XS may end up arriving as the improved version of the Mate X next year. Yu reportedly mentioned that Huawei is in plans to launch its foldable phone in Europe in the first quarter of 2020. However, he didn’t clarify whether the phone would be the existing Mate X or its improved version that would be showcased at MWC in February.
