The world’s first tri-fold phone will launch in September — here’s what we know

We only recently learned about the astronomic price of Huawei's alleged tri-fold foldable phone, and now we have news that the Chinese manufacturer will release the phone very soon.

A report from a Chinese-language site, My Drivers, spotted by GSMArena, claimed that Huawei CEO Richard Yu confirmed the world's first tri-fold phone will launch in September during an EV car event in Shanghai this week. A customer at the event asked Yu when the tri-fold display would be purchasable, and he simply replied, "Next month."

Yu has been spotted several times in public with the triple-screen phone. We're not sure what the new device's name will be, but it supposedly features a massive 10-inch display when unfolded. Whether or not it immediately becomes one of the best foldable phones or a strange anomaly is up in the air.

Surprisingly, the device Yu has been seen with looks pretty thin and is rumored to be fairly lightweight. Chinese companies like Huawei and Vivo have had great success making astoundingly thin folding phones. 

Despite being seen in public, there haven't been many leaks around Huawei's device. The company has kept a surprisingly tight lid on the handset.

With the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, we have some pretty thin foldable phones, but based on images we've seen, the Huawei triple fold might be as large or thinner as those devices.

Now, you and I may be unable to do it whenever the phone releases. The rumored price has ranged anywhere from $2,800 to $4,900, converting from Chinese yuan to USD. Of course, prices change depending on region, but this hints at how expensive the tri-fold phone might get.

It's wild that the tri-fold phone will be a viable reality, but it may be some time before we see a version in the US. 

Samsung has developed some tri-fold display concepts, but there is no guarantee that they'll produce one soon. Still, another company releasing such a device might incentivize Samsung to get their version off the ground faster.

More from Tom's Guide

• I didn't get the hype around foldable phones, but the Galaxy Z Fold 5 changed my mind
• Foldable phones have passed a very big milestone to going mainstream
• Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is here — everything you need to know