What you need to know
- The Huawei Pura X Max undercuts rumored wide foldables from Samsung and Apple by launching first.
- Huawei calls it the first “horizontally wide” foldable, though the Google Pixel Fold explored similar territory.
- Preorders are live in China with a 1,000 yuan deposit, but global availability remains unclear.
The smartphone industry has spent years making foldable phones with tall screens, but now Huawei is taking a different approach. The new Pura X Max goes straight after the rumored iPhone Fold and Samsung’s "Wide" Galaxy Z Fold, arriving well before its competitors can even get out of the gate.
Samsung and Apple have been rumored for months to be working on wider foldable phones, but Huawei beat them to it. The Pura X Max is now official, and preorders are already open in China, according to Huawei's Weibo post.
So what makes this thing different from the leading book-style foldable phones out there? Instead of the typical tall, remote-control-like cover screen, you get a short, wide device that feels natural to use closed. The outer display is expected to measure around 5.5 inches, while the inner display could be a 7.69-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio.
Beating the giants to the punch
Huawei is calling it the industry’s first horizontally wide foldable, though sharp-eyed fans will remember the original Google Pixel Fold attempted something similar.
We don’t know all the specs yet, but rumors say the phone will use the Kirin 9030 chipset, which is also expected in the upcoming Pura 90 series. The official details will be revealed at the April 20 launch event.
There are five color options (as seen in Huawei’s Weibo post): black, white, blue, gold, and orange. The gold and orange versions might be Collector’s Edition exclusives, but Huawei hasn’t confirmed this yet.
To preorder, you need to pay a 1,000 yuan deposit (about $140), and full payment starts on April 20. The final price is still unknown, and it’s not clear if the phone will be sold outside China.
Android Central's Take
I’m genuinely glad someone finally built a foldable that doesn’t punish you for watching a video or typing an email. Still, since the company can’t use Google services worldwide, it makes sense for them to try bold new hardware ideas. The real benefit for users here isn’t just the Pura X Max, but the message it sends to Samsung and Apple: Stop dragging your feet.
