The original Mate X may have never launched in Australia, but Huawei is ready to follow up its first generation foldable with a second bendy device, the Mate XS. The Mate XS isn't too different from its predecessor, touting a similar design but improved internals. There is however one major difference: the Mate XS will run Android, but without Google apps and services.
As with the Mate 30 Pro, the Google-less Mate XS is a result of the ongoing dispute between the US government and Huawei. While the foldable runs the open source version of Android - Android Open Source Project, or AOSP - with Huawei's EMUI 10 skin it's missing the Google apps and services many of us have come to rely on. This means the Mate XS will ship without the Play Store, Google Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and more, all as a result of the trade ban.
While it is technically possible to "sideload" Google apps and services onto Huawei Android devices, Google actively discourages this.
"Sideloaded Google apps will not work reliably because we do not allow these services to run on uncertified devices where security may be compromised," said Android & Play Legal Director Tristan Ostrowski is a recent blog post addressing the Huawei issue.
"Sideloading Google’s apps also carries a high risk of installing an app that has been altered or tampered with in ways that can compromise user security."
Instead, the Mate XS will ship with Huawei's own app store on board. The Huawei App Gallery hosts over 45,000 apps. For comparison, the Google Play Store has almost 2.5 million apps, and the Apple App Store has almost 2 million. When testing the Huawei Mate 30 Pro, we found almost every big name app absent. Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, Instagram, Netflix, Spotify, Uber, Tinder, and more are all missing. TikTok was the only familiar face.
Software drama aside, the Mate XS is almost a dead ringer for the Mate X; it's an 8-inch tablet that folds in half. Folding the Mate XS splits it into a 6.6-inch display on the front, and a 6.38-inch display on the back. When folded, both screens are exposed. However, Huawei says the screen should be more durable this time thanks to a new structure. The display is plastic, rather than ultra-thin glass we've seen on the Galaxy Z Flip.
Other key specifications for the Mate XS include a Huawei-made Kirin 990 processor with 5G support, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a 4,500mAh battery. The camera configuration is made up of a 40MP primary camera, 8MP 3x telephoto camera, a 16MP ultra-wide camera, and a Time-of-Flight camera.
Huawei says it will confirm Australian pricing and availability for the Mate XS in the coming months. International pricing will start at €2,499, which is a little over $4,000 at current exchange rates.
Alex Choros
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