Huawei’s new Mate XT 2 has quickly become a major talking point in the foldable phone market, but not only because of its unusual three-part folding design. A marketing email sent to several tech creators has gone viral after it reportedly asked influencers to promote the phone without marking their posts as paid or sponsored.
Huawei has now denied sending or approving the campaign and says it is investigating where the email came from. That response has shifted the story from a phone launch to a wider discussion about influencer marketing and transparency.
What happened with the viral email?
The controversy began when tech creator Gregory McFadden, known online as GregsGadgets, shared an email he had received about a Mate XT 2 promotion. The message appeared to offer creators a paid opportunity to make TikTok content using Huawei’s promotional material.
The email reportedly asked creators to provide their rates and publish content about the Mate XT 2 around the time of Apple’s September 9 event. The part that attracted the most attention was the instruction not to describe the content as “paid” or “sponsored.”
Other well-known technology creators, including Marques Brownlee, Zack Nelson and Michael Fisher, also said they had received the same or a similar email. The reports caused the email to spread quickly across social media.
The important point is that the email alone does not prove that Huawei itself organized the campaign. The company has specifically denied that it issued the campaign or authorized another company to run it on its behalf.
Huawei says the campaign was not authorized
Huawei responded after the email attracted widespread attention. The company said it had neither launched the campaign itself nor authorized a third party to do so.
Huawei also said it was investigating the possible source of the material in the email. The company added that it is committed to clear public communication and is working to make sure its marketing activities follow platform rules and industry standards.
That distinction matters. At this stage, the verified situation is that an email carrying the Mate XT 2 promotion was sent to creators, several creators publicly discussed receiving it, and Huawei denied responsibility for the campaign.
It would therefore be wrong to present the email as confirmed evidence that Huawei ordered influencers to hide paid relationships.
Why the email created so much concern
The main issue is not simply that influencers were offered money to make videos. Paid creator campaigns are common in the technology industry. The concern comes from the reported request not to identify the content as paid or sponsored.
A viewer normally expects to know when a creator has a financial relationship with a company. Without that information, a paid promotional video can look like an independent recommendation.
The reported email therefore raised questions about who created the campaign, who approved its wording and why creators were allegedly asked to leave out sponsorship information.
The situation also shows why the source of an influencer campaign matters. An outside agency can send an offer using a company’s product and branding without necessarily having the company’s approval.
Mate XT 2 is a major new Huawei foldable
The email controversy comes just days after Huawei officially launched the Mate XT 2 in China. The phone is the company’s latest tri-fold model and uses a redesigned folding system compared with the original Mate XT.
Instead of leaving parts of the flexible screen exposed when folded, the Mate XT 2 folds inward. When fully opened, it provides a large 10.2-inch display.
Huawei has also introduced a number of hardware changes with the new model.
- The phone uses Huawei’s Kirin 9050 Pro chip.
- It has a 10.2-inch flexible display when fully opened.
- Huawei has added an IP59 water-resistance rating.
- The phone includes a triple rear camera system.
The company has also introduced a privacy-focused display option that makes the screen harder to view from wider side angles. This feature is offered on a higher-end configuration.
The Mate XT 2 starts at a very high price
The Mate XT 2 is positioned as a premium device. In China, its starting price is 19,999 yuan, while higher configurations cost more.
Huawei has not confirmed a broad international launch for the Mate XT 2 at this point. That means buyers outside China should not assume that the phone will officially arrive in their market.
| Feature | Huawei Mate XT 2 |
|---|---|
| Display when fully opened | 10.2 inches |
| Design | Tri-fold |
| Processor | Kirin 9050 Pro |
| Water resistance | IP59 |
| Rear cameras | Triple camera system |
| Starting price in China | 19,999 yuan |
| International availability | Not confirmed |
The phone is also part of Huawei’s ULTIMATE DESIGN range, which is aimed at the company’s premium customers.
What happens next?
The biggest unanswered question is where the influencer email came from. Huawei has said that it is investigating, so the company may provide more information about the campaign later.
Until then, the email should be treated as an unauthorized campaign rather than proof of an official Huawei marketing plan. The creators who received it have helped bring attention to the issue, but the final responsibility for the email has not been established publicly.
For consumers, the episode is a reminder to look carefully at promotional technology content. A creator receiving a product or being offered payment does not automatically make their opinion unreliable, but viewers should be able to tell when a commercial relationship exists.
Final word
The Huawei Mate XT 2 has already attracted attention because of its three-fold design, large 10.2-inch screen and new hardware. The viral influencer email has now created a second story around the phone, this time involving questions about advertising transparency.
Huawei has clearly denied authorizing the campaign and says it is investigating the matter. Until that investigation provides more answers, claims that Huawei itself ordered influencers to hide sponsorships remain unconfirmed.
For now, the most important fact is simple: a promotional email linked to the Mate XT 2 reached several technology creators, it reportedly contained a request to avoid paid or sponsored labels, and Huawei says the campaign was not authorized by the company.