After the failed launch of Samsung Galaxy Fold, all eyes were on the next major foldable phone, the Huawei Mate X. Earlier we heard rumors and speculations about a possible September launch for the Mate X, but now the news has been confirmed by Huawei’s Western European Region President Vincent Peng.
“It’s coming in September – at the latest,” said Vincent Pang while visiting New York City. “Probably earlier, but definitely September is guaranteed.”
Only for Countries with 5G
Where will the Huawei Mate X launch? “Any country that has 5G”, said the president, further confirming that Huawei’s foldable phone is a 5G capable device. This was likely stressed because the Samsung Galaxy Fold launched with 4G LTE, with a 5G version only spoken of but never really becoming official.
Of course, Peng’s “any country that has 5G” comment comes with a caveat. The Mate X isn’t coming to the US, which is no surprise given the Huawei ban in the US.
Android or HongMeng OS?
The story also clears up one another confusion – will the Mate X actually run Android, or will we finally see HongMeng OS?
According to Peng, the phone will definitely be running Android. The executive says that because the foldable device was announced in February, well before Huawei’s placement on the U.S. Commerce Department’s Entity List (last month), which is why the phone is not covered by the ban.
