Huawei is developing a hinge-less, wide-screen smartphone set to launch in September, signalling a potential shift in premium device design that prioritises screen real estate without the drawbacks of traditional foldables.
Huawei is preparing a smartphone that borrows the shape of a foldable without using a hinge, according to leaks cited by Memeburn and Chinese tipsters. The device, codenamed KZB, is said to have moved up from a late-2026 target to a possible September launch, with reports suggesting it may appear alongside either the Mate XT 2 tri-fold or the Mate 90 series.
The appeal is the screen format. The leaked specifications point to a 6.39-inch OLED panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and 2K-class resolution, a Kirin 9-series processor, at least a 7,000mAh battery and a rear camera system built around a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto lens and a multispectral camera. Industry watchers describe the prototype as thin and light, which would be important for a phone that is wider than the standard premium handset.
Huawei already has evidence that this direction can work. Huawei Central reported that the Pura X Max passed 1.5 million sales units after launching in March 2025, while Gizmochina said the broader Pura X line had sold more than 700,000 units in under six months. Both reports point to strong demand for Huawei’s wide-screen foldable designs, and to a market that appears willing to trade familiar proportions for better reading, video and multitasking.
That is why the new device matters. If Huawei can deliver the same wider viewing area without a hinge, it removes one of the main drawbacks of a foldable: extra thickness, moving parts, a crease and the higher repair risk that comes with them. The trade-off is obvious too. A 16:10 handset will be less pocket-friendly than a normal slab phone, and Huawei’s own consumer chief, Yu Chengdong, has already acknowledged the ergonomic compromise.
The timing also suggests that Huawei is trying to establish this as more than a one-off experiment. Reports point to a busy September launch window, and GSMArena has separately reported that Oppo is also developing a non-folding 16:10 flagship for a later release. If those plans hold, the wider-candybar format is moving from a Huawei curiosity to a broader premium-phone trend, with Chinese vendors again setting the pace.
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