Huawei touted to release an affordable foldable phone alongside the Mate 40 Pro

Huawei Mate X/Xs and the Samsung Galaxy Fold are the two premium foldable devices on the market. They're incredibly pricey, however, with the Mate Xs carrying an MSRP of about US$2700—even more expensive than the Fold—making the devices unattainable to most consumers. It would seem, though, that Huawei plans to offer something cheaper in that segment.

According to a report by Android Authority, Huawei is set to release a new foldable phone later this year. The Chinese company, currently at loggerheads with the US government, will supposedly offer a cheaper foldable offering, and the phone is expected to be released towards the tail end of the year. Likely alongside the Mate 40 Pro.

Reportedly, the new "affordable" foldable will carry a price tag in the region of US$1,099. That's still incredibly expensive but would make it cheaper than other similar devices in the market like the Galaxy Z Flip and Motorola Razr. The phone is expected to offer a fold-in design, a la Galaxy Fold. Interestingly, recent reports claim Samsung is set to also offer a cheaper folder phone, at that same US$1,099 price point.

Considering how Samsung used a last-gen chipset on the Galaxy Z Flip, it'll be interesting to see how Huawei keeps costs down on this device. A Kirin 980, perhaps?