Huawei on Monday unveiled the Pura X Max, a wide, book-style foldable smartphone that’s already available to preorder in China.
The launch puts the company ahead of competitors like Apple and Samsung, both of which are reportedly developing similar wide-format foldables but are not expected to release them until later in 2026.
Huawei has effectively become the first to bring this book-style wide-foldable design to market, giving it an early lead in what could be the next phase of foldable smartphones.
Screen and performance
The hardware is designed to be a productivity powerhouse.
It features a 5.4-inch external display and a massive 7.7-inch internal screen. Both displays are OLED panels with 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rates, though they differ slightly in peak brightness: the outer screen hits 3,500 nits, while the inner panel reaches 3,000 nits.
According to the translated spec sheet, the device is powered by the homegrown Kirin 9030 Pro chipset and runs on HarmonyOS 6.1. Despite its thinness, just 5.2mm when unfolded, it packs a 5,300mAh battery that supports 66W wired and 50W wireless charging. PCMag notes that at 229 grams, the Pura X Max is “nearly 14 grams more than the Galaxy Z Fold 7,” a trade-off for its larger internal real estate.
Huawei continues to push its camera technology with a triple-lens rear setup. The Pura X Max includes a 50MP main sensor with variable aperture, a 50MP telephoto lens, and a 12.5MP ultra-wide camera.
On the front, there are two 8MP cameras, one on each screen, allowing for selfies whether the phone is folded or unfolded. The device also supports Huawei’s XMAGE imaging system, offering features like AI-assisted composition and enhanced night photography.
Pricing and availability
Huawei has launched two versions of the Pura X Max. Pricing starts at 10,999 yuan (around $1,613) for the base model with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. Higher configurations go up to 13,999 yuan (around $2,053) for the Collector’s Edition, with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
The device is currently available for preorder in China, with no confirmed global release timeline.
The launch comes as Huawei continues to dominate China’s foldable smartphone market. According to International Data Corp data cited by China Daily, the company held a 71.8% market share in 2025.
At the same time, the company is facing cost pressures due to rising component costs, such as memory chips. Yu Chengdong acknowledged the challenge during the launch event, saying, “Costs have increased a lot now. If we can’t sustain it, we may also raise prices.”
Also read: Apple’s leaked passport-style foldable design shows that rivals are still trying to catch up in the next wave of foldable phones.
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