Huawei’s new foldable phone costs $2,700—and doesn’t come with Google apps

Huawei is launching a new foldable phone, the Mate Xs. 

Unfortunately, it’s not going to matter much for customers in the U.S. and Europe, as it comes without Google apps, making it dead in the water in most markets outside of China. 

It’s a pity, because it’s a fascinating device. It’s similar to its predecessor, the Huawei Mate X, which never launched outside of China. It has the same, outwards-folding display that measures 8 or 6.6 inches, depending on whether it’s folded or unfolded. The 4,500mAh battery is the same as well, and 5G connectivity is still on board. 

There are differences, though: The processor has been updated to Huawei’s latest Kirin 990, the hinge has been tweaked to be more durable, and the screen has been coated with a special polyamide material to make it more resistant to (inevitable) scratches. 

The rear camera count has increased from three to four, with a 40-megapixel main sensor, a 16-megapixel wide-angle sensor, an 8-megapixel telephoto camera, and a 3D depth-sensing camera. There’s no selfie camera, as you can use the rear cameras for selfies when you fold the phone. 

Unfortunately, the price has increased as well. The Huawei Mate Xs will cost €2,499 ($2,707) in Europe, which is two hundred euros more than the price of its ill-fated predecessor. This is for the version with 8/512GB of memory; it’s unclear whether there will be more than one version of the device. 

The combination of the price tag and the lack of Google services will likely kill the Mate Xs appeal for the vast majority of customers, but due to its unusual form factor, it’s still an interesting device. Android Central, which had time with the device, praises the screen and design, as well as its multitasking features. Engadget calls the Mate Xs a good-looking product, but notes that the lack of software to try out — due to the absence of the Google Play app store — was a big issue. 

The Huawei Mate Xs is launching globally next month, though it’s unlikely that the phone will be offered in the U.S.