Huawei’s new extra-large foldable phone was revealed on Monday and it’s already drawing comparisons to Apple’s next big thing. Little is known about the Pura the iPhone Fold rumor should arrive later this year.
There are many ways to fold a phone, and tech companies have experimented with various configurations over the past few years. There are valve type devices, such as the Motorola Razr And Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7which fold like the OG flip phones, shrinking into a pocket-sized square. Next came larger, book-style phones that fold out to reveal larger, tablet-sized screens. Nowadays, you can even find trifold phones with two hinges. No matter how you fold it, most foldables start or end with the familiar candy bar shape as their base.
Manufacturers have experimented with different foldable configurations, but the Pura X Max’s wide proportions are rare.
HuaweiHuawei’s Pura X Max – the biggest evolution recently announced in the Pura X foldable phone – this is what I like to think of as a passport-style foldable. Rather than the tall rectangular form factor that almost all modern phones take on, it has shorter, extra-wide proportions when folded before opening to reveal what appears to be approximately iPadMini-sized and proportioned internal display. It’s a similar formula to what we saw on the 2020 Microsoft Surface Duoalthough the Duo uses two internal screens divided by a visible hinge rather than a flexible, foldable screen.
The proportions of the Pura iPhone Ultrawhich is expected to debut this fall alongside the new iPhone 18 models. Industry insiders, alleged dummy models and leaked CAD files indicate that Apple is using a similarly wide passport-style shape with proportions close to those of the model. Google Pixel 10 Pro foldable. The iPhone Ultra is rumored to feature a 5.5-inch exterior display that folds out to a 7.8-inch internal display and could cost between $2,000 and $2,500.
Apple’s foldable iPhone is also rumored to use a wide aspect ratio, but perhaps not as wide.
Jeffrey Hazelwood/CNETScheduled for April 20 in China, the Pura X Max is shown in Huawei’s teaser images with a triple camera bump on its rear panel. However, the manufacturer hasn’t given any specifications, pricing, or even shown what this indoor foldable display will look like.
The timing of the announcement could be seen as a punch across the Cupertino arc – Huawei beating the highly anticipated Apple device – and perhaps that could end up being true in Huawei’s home market of China. However, Huawei is not present in the United Statesso buyers looking to expand their foldable horizons will have to wait and see what Apple or Samsung is due to show later this year.