Huawei confirms 5G folding Samsung Galaxy X challenger for 24 February

Not-so-cryptic graphic teases new folding phone for MWC

Huawei 5G folding phone

Today we reported on 3D renders of Huawei's upcoming foldable phone, which is set to go head to head with the Samsung Galaxy X. We know the phone is coming, because the Chinese manufacturer confirmed that it was working on a folding phone – a 5G enabled folding phone, no less – last October. 

Now it appears that Huawei has confirmed that it will be launching the new handset at MWC, the mobile phone tradeshow which kicks off at the end of February. The image shown below was tweeted by Huawei Mobile UK, with the following words: 

To us, that V-shaped image is pretty clearly a folding phone, with the screen on the outside, as shown by the blue and red glow emanating from the screen. That's a different approach to the one taken by Samsung with its folding Galaxy X, where the screen is on the inside, like the pages of a book, and it matches with the renders of the Huawei phone we posted earlier.

In what is likely a nod to the 5G capabilities of the Huawei handset, the promotional image mentions "connecting the future." After all, 5G is the connectivity standard of the future.

So there we have it: confirmation that Huawei's Samsung Galaxy X challenger will be breaking cover in Barcelona at the end of the month. Huawei's MWC press conference is scheduled for Sunday 24 February at 2pm CET (1pm GMT), so mark that date in your diary, folding phone fans.

As for when we'll see the launch of the folding Samsung Galaxy X? There's a Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event taking place on 20 February, which is where the new Samsung Galaxy S10 range of smartphones will be launched (though probably not the 5G variant). It had been rumoured that the Galaxy X would make an appearance at the same event. Well now, even if Samsung wasn't planning to show off its folding phone in its finished form at that event, you can be sure it's rushing to include it now that it's seen what Huawei is planning for just four days later.

Paul Douglas
Global Digital Editorial Strategy Director, Future

Paul Douglas is Global Digital Editorial Strategy Director at Future and has worked in publishing for over 25 years. He worked in print for over 10 years on various computing titles including .net magazine and the Official Windows Magazine before moving to TechRadar.com in 2008, eventually becoming Global Editor-in-Chief for the brand, overseeing teams in the US, UK and Australia. Following that, Paul has been Global Editor-in-Chief of BikeRadar and T3 (not at the same time) and later Content Director working on T3, TechRadar and Tom's Guide. In 2021, Paul also worked on the launches of FitandWell.com and PetsRadar.