In a move that will surprise precisely no one who follows the tech industry's predictable game of leapfrog, Huawei has launched its Pura X Max foldable phone in China, officially beating Samsung and Apple to the punch with the first commercially available 'wide' foldable. This 'passport-style' device is now available for pre-order, giving us the full specs and price after its design teaser last week.

There are two versions, because of course there are. The standard Pura X Max starts at 10,999 yuan (about $1,613) for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, or 11,999 yuan (about $1,800) for 512GB. For those who enjoy paying extra for the word 'Collector's,' that edition starts at 12,999 yuan (about $1,906) for 16GB/512GB, or 13,999 yuan (about $2,053) for the 16GB/1TB configuration.

The key gimmick is its book-like, wide display orientation - a departure from the tall foldables we've grown accustomed to. It features a 5.4-inch cover display with a peak brightness of 3500 nits. Open it up, and you're greeted by a 7.7-inch internal display that tops out at 3000 nits, with both screens supporting a 1 - 120Hz LTPO adaptive refresh rate.

Meanwhile, Apple and Samsung are reportedly still in the workshop, tinkering on their own wide foldables. Various leaks have hinted at a rumored iPhone foldable and a wider Samsung Z Fold, but neither is expected to arrive until the second half of 2026. This gives Huawei a significant, and likely temporary, head start in this emerging design trend.

Under the hood, the phone is powered by Huawei's homegrown Kirin 9030 Pro chipset and a 5,300mAh battery, with support for 66W wired and 50W wireless charging. The camera system includes a 50MP main camera with variable aperture, a 50MP telephoto lens, and a 12.5MP ultra-wide shooter. It runs HarmonyOS 6.1, supports the Huawei M-Pen 3 Mini stylus, and offers a suite of AI features, including pose recommendations for your photography.

Huawei has not confirmed any plans to release the Pura X Max outside of China, a prospect that should give its rivals just enough time to pretend they weren't caught napping.