Huawei is working on a bi-fold smartphone

Yu Chengdong, the CEO of the Huawei Consumer Group, has already been caught twice in public with the new bi-fold smartphone. The pictures invite speculation. However, there is no concrete information about the device yet.

Unfolded on the plane, folded in the hand

The first time Yu Chengdong was photographed with the new smartphone was on 9 May. At the time, he was sitting in an aeroplane and had unfolded the device to its full size. At first glance, he could also be holding a 10-inch tablet in his hand.

The assumption that it is not a tablet but a smartphone is suggested by a photo that appeared a few days later on the Chinese short message service Weibo. In this picture, he is holding the smartphone in a folded state. The three elements that make it up are clearly recognisable.

In the photos, the nameless smartphone looks similar in thickness to other folding smartphones, such as the Galaxy Fold 6 - although Samsung's device has only one hinge and two elements.

Only a prototype or almost ready for the market?

Huawei has not yet commented on the smartphone. There is no name and no technical details. It is also unclear whether the boss is just testing a prototype or has an almost market-ready device in his hands that will soon be officially unveiled.

Huawei is not alone in trying to maximise the size of a smartphone display. TCL, Samsung and LG, among others, have already shown corresponding devices. However, these tend to work with roll displays rather than two hinges - and have not yet progressed beyond the prototype stage at a trade fair.