Fantastic hardware meets limited software
It is difficult to summarize the Huawei Mate XS in a star rating because it is a new product category; the Mate XS is both a tablet and a smartphone - fully usable in both modes with minimal compromises.
While we've seen other foldable devices like Samsung's Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Flip, as well as the Motorola Razr, the Huawei Mate XS may best combine the two product categories in a foldable combination. Its hardware is second to none.
Nevertheless, for the foreseeable future we will not be able to write about Huawei's Android phones and tablets (and also about foldable devices) without their software differences compared to others
Since Google, at the behest of the US government, cut off the connection to Huawei, the devices from the Chinese manufacturer have been handicapped. Huawei is doing the right thing - they are investing heavily in plugging the Google-shaped holes in their software and they are aware of how they sell and market the new phones. But it would be reckless to underestimate the real impact of the lack of Google services on the world outside of China.
It is difficult to grasp all the nuances in a test, how incredible the Mate XS is as a hybrid device or how far the lack of Google Mobile Services goes for a western user. For this reason, we wrote this diary in which we document one of the most complex smartphone stories of our generation for a week.
Day zero: Take care, Mate 30 Pro.
Huawei tested the Google-free waters before announcing the Mate XS with its Mate 30 Pro. Although it came on the market in 2019, it did not land on selected shelves in the west until 2020.
The Huawei Mate 30 Pro was launched in the UK with limited availability because Huawei knew that Google-free status would be a challenge. It is therefore not surprising that the theater around the sale is an ongoing, carefully orchestrated production.
The sales staff is informed and trained on how to sell a smartphone without Google services and to whom it should be sold.
Huawei also undoubtedly estimates how much the software situation holds back a fantastic piece of hardware (which the Mate 30 Pro certainly is). They want to sell cell phones, but they don't want high response rates and no upset customers - that would destroy the brand value they have worked so hard to achieve.
I already had some experience with this phone, so I had some idea of what to expect. But this story isn't about the Mate 30 Pro.
Hour one: setup
I opened the box on the train and treated it like a relic that could turn to ashes when the wind changes. All the rumors surrounding the Mate XS mentioned that the plastic screen was always at risk, and the last thing I wanted to do was scratch it before I started using it.
Huawei has reinforced the plastic on the front with, well, more plastic. A double layer and glued together, the coating of the screen costs euro for euro more than gold. I wanted to try to deal with the Mate XS a bit haphazardly and arbitrarily in my time - just not right from the start.
The phone is in the flat state in the box, so I left it there when I switched it on. When the Huawei logo flashed, the first impressions were positive - a thin tablet that turns into a smartphone, a foldable screen that doesn't feel caustic - that's something special.
The setup process was very similar to that of the Mate 30 Pro. I connected to Wi-Fi, logged into a Huawei account, connected it to the Huawei Phone Clone on an old device (at no less than 60Mbps), and tadaa - all of my apps contained Google-related services and my Barclays banking app pushed over.
However, there was one striking difference - a message that warned me to remove the screen protector, wet the phone, or fold it in temperatures below -5 degrees Celsius.
If the political situation did not exclude half of North America, this last point would do it now, since -5 degrees Celsius is not that cold yet! That was nothing against my fear of using the Huawei Mate XS in the real world.
Still, the fear didn't deter me; my week with Huawei's new super smartphone had started.
Lesson two: fold, fold back - and repeat the whole thing
Before I delved into the software, I first folded and unfolded it - very often. The phone's screen changes from a 6.6-inch smartphone to an 8-inch tablet. That may not sound like a big difference, but it is!
It means that you don't have to turn your phone from portrait to landscape to present your pictures nicely, but that you can open it and get a much better result, not to mention an "oooooh".
The opening mechanism is activated by a latch on the back of the phone, which releases the folded back. It pops out a little, after which you do the rest.
I didn't like the closure at the beginning. It felt like another moving part in a device that already had more of it than most others. However, the fact that it allows the Huawei Mate XS to fold flat is a big deal.
At 11mm thick, the Mate XS is taller than most phones, but it's still handy, especially if you're from an already big flagship like the OnePlus 7T Pro .
Day one: software
Most of my first full day with the Huawei Mate XS, after curiosity about the design subsided, was spent setting it up. Huawei has invested $ 1 billion in its app gallery and in luring developers to design for non-Google devices.
However, it is clear that the related improvements will be gradual in the coming years, as the experience of the Huawei Mate XS app store is practically identical to that of the Mate 30 Pro. That means you get a handful of the top ten apps available through this shop, but it's not yet comprehensive.
You can still install apps manually, and there are other app stores; APK Pure and Aurora Store are the two that I can most reliably find and recommend. 100% of the applications required were available in one store or another, except games that I bought through the Google Play Store, such as Final Fantasy.
This was the first psychological hurdle I had to deal with - my Google Play investments were lost as long as I lived my life in the best possible way.
Regardless, I went ahead and set up apps like Outlook to meet my Google Calendar, Drive, and Gmail needs. Some Google apps even worked without giving me a headache - especially Chrome and Maps, with the limitation that I couldn't log into my Google Account through them.
However, the most impressive thing is the web browser experience. Whether via Chrome or Huawei's standard browser, viewing websites in the desktop layout gives the Mate XS the feeling of being an early Chromebook.
I was able to upload files to Google Drive and even access my Gmail with a full web view. While it wasn't perfect to connect a mouse and keyboard, it was much better when I had internet than when it was just a regular phone.
Day two: no sideloading from Google
After using Google Services via sideloading on the Mate 30 Pro, I was ready on the second day with the XS to enjoy my old favorites on my clamshell phone. The method I used earlier was fairly straightforward; a few downloads, a few on-screen tips, mouse clicks and a manual installation of six APK files, and I was done. But not on the Mate XS.
I tried to sideload Google Services twice but to no avail. Hmm. Time to learn how to work around missing Google features.
The effects of not using Google are far-reaching and go beyond the standard Google apps. Uber, for example, does not work on the Mate XS because it uses location-based APIs from Google.
WhatsApp backups also do not work because they are saved on Google Drive - the list of affected apps is extensive and random. So be prepared for a trip if you want to buy a Mate 30 Pro or Huawei Mate XS.
Given the added novelty and usefulness that a clamshell phone brings (in an almost masochistic way), however, it is necessary to find apps that add to the feeling of novelty that comes with using the Mate XS. The groundbreaking hardware made the additional effort worthwhile, at least for me.
Day three: I dropped a 2500 euro cell phone
I pampered it in the first few days with the Huawei Mate XS. The foldable lived in a microfiber cover. Nothing too solid or protective, but I haven't put it on any surface without being cushioned by something soft. I treated it like a newborn. Do the same, and the smartphone will look great - my Mate XS is completely scratch-free on the third day.
In the afternoon, however, I wanted to try it out without a protective cover so that I could get an idea of how scratch-resistant it really is. As much as it hurt me, I started to put it directly on surfaces and put it directly in the pockets of jeans and jackets. In the evening I used the clamshell phone like a real phone, I slipped it into my pocket, pulled it out, opened and closed it as I wanted - it was a dream until ...
Imagine it - I'm in a kitchen (with a tiled floor). I pull the Mate XS out of my pocket, open it - and the doorbell rings. I drop my hand holding the phone to my waist and walk over to the door. However, what I don't notice is that a scared cat whizzes between my legs - she hates strangers and therefore also doorbells.
I stumble, almost fall, can catch myself in a chair, above all: the hand that holds the clamshell phone ... it falls from a height of about half a meter. The flat, unfolded display hit a wall that appeared to have spread the impact when it bounced and fell on the tiled floor.
My heart slipped into my pants. It was only the third day and I broke the most expensive and exclusive phone I've ever used! ... wait, no, no, I haven't?
When I turned the Mate XS over, the screen worked fine. It can be folded up, there are no dents on the display or on the metal frame. I'm not quite sure how, but it looks as good as new ...
Day four: party tricks
At dinner after four days, I can say: I am satisfied with what the Mate XS can and cannot do. It can take fantastic pictures; the 40 MP main camera stands out from the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and P30 Pro , so it's no wonder.
In combination with the 16 MP ultra-wide-angle lens and the 8 MP telephoto lens, it is a very good camera phone, as the example pictures below show.
It's also a nice thing to read magazines on the unfolded Huawei Mate XS. The Kindle app, for example, works great, and my Prime membership includes titles like Time Magazine - which never looked better on a phone.
Video is also a real treat on the foldable smartphone. Although Netflix is not officially supported, I found an APK that works well - albeit without support for downloads. However, Amazon Prime Video is fully functional, as is the BBC iPlayer.
If you pull it out in public, nothing happens - nobody flinches. As a phone, it is so incredible on the phone that people don’t think about it. It wasn't until I opened it and passed it across the table to show a friend a picture that people groaned and swore.
Then there is the experience that taking pictures beyond the camera itself is decent: Huawei's camera app has been expanded to take advantage of the folding screen so that you can see and pose while taking pictures of friends.
Even without Google, the Mate XS is a serious public favorite.
Day 5: battery-tactical
Two batteries keep the Mate XS alive, one in each of the two folding halves. Together they result in a total capacity of 4,500 mAh, which is a considerable capacity for a smartphone or a small tablet.
Even better, the two batteries allow charging speeds of 55 W. This means that you can charge the device by 80% in about half an hour.
A cell phone that lasts all day, turns into a tablet and charges very quickly - what's the catch? Well, from the battery point of view, there is no real catch as such. Sure, there is no wireless charging here. But personally, I would rather use the wired speed of 55 W than the 25 W of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus - and in this case, would like to forego wireless charging.
Day six: masterful multitasking
Something I've rarely done is using split-screen multitasking in the real world.
The only smartphone on which I activated the native Android function for split screen on the go was the extra-long Sony Xperia 1 . The two halves are strangely usable given the height of the phone. That was until I started using the Huawei Mate XS.
Open the Mate XS, swipe in from the left or right side and a shortcut bar will appear. You can fill them with applications, just drag the required ones into the frame - one on the left, one on the right side of the screen.
Every half of the phone is the size of a full-fledged portrait smartphone, and the ability to pull a floating window over it is just the icing on the cake. WhatsApp in one half, Google Maps in the other - rounded off by a floating computer - ideal for planning an upcoming trip through Ireland with a WhatsApp group, as in my case.
The floating apps also work in phone mode, which can be useful if you want to start Spotify as a quick pop-up window while your fitness app is running in the background.
Huawei can hardware and software. This has never been so obvious as with the Huawei Mate XS - the smartphone never crashed due to a bug.
Day seven: are the weaknesses worth it?
There is no doubt that the Huawei Mate XS is kept small by the lack of Google. Still, I'd rather have one than the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which has free access to Google Mobile Services.
Why? The Galaxy Fold is not a good smartphone, in my opinion, the front display is too small. The Mate XS, on the other hand, is a larger tablet than the Fold, with 8 inches versus 7.3 inches; a larger phone with 6.6 inches compared to 4.6 inches and narrower when closed: 11 mm instead of 15.5 mm.
As for the clamshell foldable like the Galaxy Z Flip and the Motorola RAZR , they are compact, but they don't do much that conventional smartphones cannot do. The hefty premium is simply not worth it.
That's why Huawei really needs to be cheered for the hardware of the Mate XS. However, it is not without its flaws. The hinge elements look like pins on both sides - people will try to pull them out.
The sensitive plastic screen of the XS is also easier to scratch than glass, which is worth mentioning. If you use it for five days without a protective cover, you can see a slightly frayed horizontal trace from hinge to hinge.
You can't see them when the screen is on, but if the light catches them just right (probably more "wrong" when the screen is off), it looks like a series of micro-scratches. Disturbing? It depends - I personally am impressed that it is not worse.
I was expecting the smartphone to perform poorly on real bags, tables, and the painful fall I inflicted on it. The Huawei Mate XS is definitely more fragile than traditional smartphones, but it's also much more impressive.
Day ten: I have Google - finally!
After ten days spent with the Huawei Mate XS, keeping an eye on the XDA developer forum, there was finally a new Google Mobile Services hack for the Mate 30 Pro that I can try.
Google has blocked every hack that has appeared in recent months. The fact that other users were successful with this new hack gave me hope.
I tried it and you know what? It actually worked. Well, but only with reservations. Every time I restart the phone, I lose Google access and have to erase the phone and start over.
This would have been an obstacle for any other smartphone. For me, especially given the prospect of using the Mate XS, this is just a strong incentive to never turn it off.
And so I now go around the world and fold away from the complete Google Mobile Services, with what I believe to be the most advanced smartphone that you can buy for money, with a power bank in your backpack - just in case.
Final word
Huawei's mobile business was shaken, even very strongly. The company had to deal with an unprecedented software challenge in 2019, shortly after establishing itself as the world's number two smartphone seller in 2018 - and costing Apple a place on the podium. This is a fall from grace.
But the Huawei Mate XS lives in a small bubble - the bubble of fat mobile phones that turn into small folding tablets. The very fact that it's the best phone in this bubble shows why, despite all the drama, Huawei should still be paid attention to.
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