The Huawei Mate X2 is a larger Galaxy Fold with no Google apps

By Alex Choros

Last updated 23 February 2021

Huawei overnight announced a new foldable smartphone, the Mate X2. Succeeding last year's Mate XS, the Mate X2 has an all new design that’s almost a dead ringer for Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 2.

While the Mate XS was a single screen that folded down, leaving it exposed on both sides, the Mate X2 is more like a book. The internal foldable screen is hidden until you open the phone, but there's a smaller display you can use when the phone is closed. Given that foldable displays are less durable - and we found the Mate XS very prone to scratches - Huawei's decision is welcome.

The internal display measures in at 8-inches, while the external is 6.45-inches. Both have a 90Hz refresh rate. Notably, those sizes are larger than the displays on the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which come in at 7.6-inches and 6.2-inches, respectively. Huawei also says the Mate X2 folds flatter than the Galaxy Z Fold 2, but the internal display is still plastic, rather than ultra-thin glass.

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Of course, there is another key difference between the pair of foldable. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 can run Google apps, while the Mate X2 can't. While the Huawei foldable runs the open source version of Android - Android Open Source Project, or AOSP - with Huawei's EMU1 10 skin it's missing the Google apps and services many of us have come to rely on. This means the Mate X2 will ship without the Play Store, Google Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and more, all as a result of the trade ban.

While it is technically possible to "sideload" Google apps and services onto Huawei Android devices, Google actively discourages this.

Instead, the Mate X2 will ship with Huawei's own app store on board. The Huawei App Gallery hosts over 45,000 apps. For comparison, the Google Play Store has almost 2.5 million apps, and the Apple App Store has almost 2 million. You can read more about what apps work on Huawei smartphones here, as well as how to install them.

Software drama aside, key specifications for the Mate X2 include a Huawei Kirin 9000 processor, 8GB of RAM, at least 256GB of expandable storage, and a 4,400mAh battery. The quad-camera setup on the rear is made up of a 50MP primary lens, a 16MP ultra-wide camera, a 12MP 3x optical zoom lens, and a 8MP 10x optical zoom lens. There's a 16MP selfie lens in the camera cut-out on the external display, but no internal selfie camera.

At present, there's no word as to whether the Mate X2 will be available outside of China, where it will go on sale from February 25. Based on currency conversions, it will retail for around $3,500. The Mate XS launched locally at $3,999, for example.