Samsung’s TriFold isn’t here yet, but it’s main rival is already looking forward to these upgrades

Leaker Digital Chat Station has shared the specifications for the next iteration of the HUAWEI Mate XT on Weibo. The leaker cited TENAA regulatory listings for a phone with model number GRL-AL20 to indicate that HUAWEI has received a certification for 5G support.

The successor to the Mate XT is expected to be a minor upgrade to the original tri-fold phone. For its specs, the Mate XT 2 (presumed name) is said to feature the Kirin 9020 SoC and satellite connectivity (possibly only in China). Upgrades are said to come in the form of a new 50MP large-pixel sensor with variable aperture and some improvements to the periscope telephoto camera.

Despite these minor upgrades, HUAWEI is a strong competitor against Samsung, primarily because it already has a big lead with the Mate XT. The Mate XT Ultimate Edition featured a Kirin 9010 SoC, 16GB RAM, up to 1TB storage, a 5,600mAh battery with support for 66W wired and 50W wireless charging.

The camera setup consisted of a 50MP f/1.4-f/4 primary sensor, a 12MP periscope telephoto for 5.5x optical zoom, a 12MP ultrawide, and an 8MP selfie camera. The OLED displays steal the show, with the three setups possible: 10.2-inch fully unfolded, 7.9-inch when folded once, and 6.4-inch when fully folded. It does cost an eye-watering €3,500, but bleeding-edge tech comes at a cost.

The Mate XT 2 is expected to launch in September, while Samsung’s tri-fold is expected in October. Samsung definitely has its task cut out for itself, though the playing field is tilted in its favor thanks to availability in Western markets.