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Rumored Huawei Mate XS may be cheaper and smaller, report says

Reportedly, the phone also could be tougher than the Huawei Mate X.

Corinne Reichert Senior Editor
Corinne Reichert (she/her) grew up in Sydney, Australia and moved to California in 2019. She holds degrees in law and communications, and currently writes news, analysis and features for CNET across the topics of electric vehicles, broadband networks, mobile devices, big tech, artificial intelligence, home technology and entertainment. In her spare time, she watches soccer games and F1 races, and goes to Disneyland as often as possible.
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  • I've been covering technology and mobile for 12 years, first as a telecommunications reporter and assistant editor at ZDNet in Australia, then as CNET's West Coast head of breaking news, and now in the Thought Leadership team.
Corinne Reichert
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Huawei's Mate X could be getting a cheaper sibling.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Huawei's rumored Mate XS foldable phone reportedly could be cheaper, smaller and tougher than the Huawei Mate X. The cost will be lower because foldable screens are now easier to manufacture, TechRadar reported Thursday, citing Chinese news site Yesky, which quoted supply chain sources.

Despite a smaller phone, the screen on the Huawei Mate XS could still be the same 8-inch size as the one on the current foldable gadget from the Chinese tech giant, TechRadar said, citing Chinese news site MyDrivers. The Mate XS will also be more durable, the MyDrivers sources reportedly said.

Huawei didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Watch this: Folding wars: Huawei's Mate X vs Samsung's Galaxy Fold

Huawei's foldable 5G Mate X phone launched in October in China. The company could be announcing the successor during Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 next month in Barcelona.

Huawei sold almost 7 million 5G phones last year in spite of being blacklisted in the US in May. At the same time, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order essentially banning the company from US communications networks in light of national security concerns that Huawei has close ties with the Chinese government. Huawei has repeatedly denied that charge.

Huawei Mate X: Our best look yet at the foldable phone

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