By V.S. Chandrasekar
Barcelona, Feb 26 (IANS) Mate X, the first 5G foldable phone from Huawei that was launched at MWC Barcelona to the cheers of a large enthusiastic crowd, became possible as a result of close partnerships with different companies including Google, a top executive of the Chinese tech giant has said.
Powered by the company's Kirin 980 processor, the Huawei Mate X comes with 6.6-inch dual display panel and offers a FullView display. When unfolded, the display panel transforms into an 8-inch tablet only 5.4mm thick.
"Google is a wonderful partner. We have worked closely with the company on all the projects, including this one," Kevin Ho, President of the Handset Business, Huawei Consumer Business Group, told IANS in an interview here.
"Firstly, the device is based on the latest Android version 'Pie' operating system, but at the same time since it is foldable, a lot of adaptation was needed," he added.
Google, however, is not the only partner that helped Huawei create what it calls the "truly" foldable phone that features a flexible OLED panel and a patented mechanical hinge.
"There is a lot of different things from different suppliers for sure but the whole thing is that we have put all the stuff in it in a precise and beautiful way against the hinge," Ho said.
The most important part of the device, he added, is the mechanical hinge creating which took Huawei three years.
"I guarantee creating the whole thing has taken even longer," he said of the device that shrinks the gap between a phone and a tablet.
"I'd love to use it as a phone, but I still think it as a real tablet. In fact. I think it is even better," Ho stressed.
Huawei said it would take the carrier channel to ship the device which is priced at 2,299 euros (about Rs 1,85,000).
Given the high price tag attached with the device, Ho said he does not foresee "suddenly a lot of people using" it, but "a small group of people will, maybe technical-oriented people."
(V.S. Chandrasekar can be reached at chandru.v@ians.in)
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