Huawei has made headlines with its new Mate X6 foldable phone, but there’s one big surprise: it doesn’t come with the company’s new HarmonyOS Next.
Despite unveiling this new operating system in October, Huawei’s latest foldable still runs a version of Android, specifically its own EMUI fork, and not the HarmonyOS Next.
The Mate X6 is a foldable phone similar to Samsung’s design, featuring high-end specs. The camera system includes a 50MP main lens, a 40MP ultrawide, and a 48MP telephoto lens with macro capabilities.
Huawei has also added a “Super Macro” mode for better focus depth. It’s the company’s most durable foldable yet, with an IPX8 water resistance rating and a sturdy aluminum hinge.
The phone has a 120Hz LTPO display, a large battery, and 66W wired charging. However, due to Huawei’s ongoing issues with sourcing chipsets, the Mate X6 doesn’t support 5G, only 4G LTE.
While HarmonyOS Next is still in beta in China, it won’t be available globally yet.
This means the Mate X6 will continue to run EMUI, which supports Android apps that don’t rely on Google services. For global users, this means the option to download Android apps will remain for now.
Alongside the Mate X6, Huawei also launched the Freebuds Pro 4 earbuds, offering true lossless audio, a first in the industry.
The Nova 13 and Nova 13 Pro phones were also introduced, featuring the 10-stop adjustable aperture tech, which first appeared in Huawei’s flagship models.
Huawei’s struggle to move beyond Android is evident, but the Mate X6 still stands out as a top-tier foldable phone with solid features.
