Foldables may become much more affordable in the very near future

Huawei's CEO, Yu Chendong, recently completed an interview with the German outlet Welt. It included questions on the trend towards foldable phones. In response to a question on who would be prepared to buy the OEM's Mate X, with its US$2800-plus price-tag, the executive pointed out the current cost of producing the first-gen flexible phone's components. Thus, he reasoned, the device will be sold as a "premium product".

However, Yu also indicated that the price of the Mate X's successors will sink through the segments of the smartphone market. The CEO stated that their cost could come down to under €1000 (US$1124), although this would take "one to two years". This could apparently be followed by Huawei foldables at about €500 (about $562), albeit over an unspecified number of years.

According to Yu, the likelihood of cheaper foldables would also depend on their initial uptake and popularity. The executive also hinted at phones with improved battery capacities that would charge faster. In addition, smartphone camera technology and AI may also get better in the future. Finally, Yu stated that Huawei was considering the development of foldable screens of greater and greater size, extending to as much as 5 meters in diagonal length.