Last week Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple Competitor Huawei confirms a Tech Event on March 20 that is likely to introduce a new device form factor." The reporte noted that Huawei’s Executive Director Richard Yu has hinted that this device would be something other manufacturers would not have considered or dared to create.

Today, Huawei Technologies launched a new foldable smartphone running on its home-grown HarmonyOS operating system, as the tech giant builds on the revival of its lucrative handset business despite US sanctions.

The Pura X, under its premium Pura brand, is a vertically-folded device that features a bigger 6.3-inch screen, with a 16:10 aspect ratio similar to a tablet. The device had a smaller 3.5-inch screen on the back, which supported features including phone calls and mobile payments, Richard Yu Chengdong, chairman of Huawei’s consumer business group, said at the launch in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

The phone runs on Huawei’s HarmonyOS Next operating system, the latest iteration of its mobile platform that is not compatible with Android. It is the second phone built on the updated system after the Huawei Mate 70 series, unveiled in November.

The new Pura X, which is available in five color options, has a starting price of US$1,037.  For more, read the full report from the South China Morning Post.

The excitement is back at Huawei because they're willing to try new devices like book-style foldable phone, a tri-fold smartphone and now Pura X. They also now have their own OS. While these new foldable smartphones aren't super profitable, Huawei is willing to give their fans a choice to be different. They're not playing it safe like some others.

Apple is rumored to be ready to release their first foldable smartphone in late 2026 at a starting price of US$2,500, which like Vision Pro, is likely not to attract much response.