Huawei Technologies on Monday launched two new laptops, including a model with a foldable screen, that run its self-developed HarmonyOS operating system, which the company is pushing across devices after its Microsoft Windows license expired in March.
The Huawei MateBook Fold Ultimate Design takes the form of an 18-inch tablet, with a thickness of just 7.3 millimetres when unfolded. Weighing 1.16kg, the device folds down to 13 inches, according to Richard Yu Chengdong, chairman of Huawei’s consumer business group, who announced the launch on Monday in Shenzhen.
The touch-screen device also comes with a separate keyboard, which attaches to the laptop via magnets, adding 290 grams to the device and an extra 5mm to the thickness.
The product, with an “ultimate-high” cost, as Yu put it, is priced at 23,999 yuan (US$3,328) with 1 terabyte of storage and 26,999 yuan for 2TB of storage. Presales started on Monday, with shipments set to begin on June 6.
Alongside the foldable device, the company launched a new MateBook Pro with a more traditional laptop form factor. It has a 14.2-inch screen, weighs 970 grams, and is priced between 7,999 yuan and 10,999 yuan. The company teased the device earlier this month, but did not unveil the price or specifications at the time.
Both computers run a version of HarmonyOS 5, also referred to as HarmonyOS Next, which is meant to offer a single integrated ecosystem across a variety of gadgets, including smartphones and Internet-of-Things devices.
The tablet folds out from 13 inches to an 18-inch screen. Photo: Huawei