The new Huawei Mate X device is seen during a pre-briefing display ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 23, 2019. Sergio Perez, Reuters

The new Huawei Mate X device is seen during a pre-briefing display ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 23, 2019. Sergio Perez, Reuters

The new Huawei Mate X device is seen during a pre-briefing display ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 23, 2019. Sergio Perez, Reuters

The new Huawei Mate X device is seen during a pre-briefing display ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 23, 2019. Sergio Perez, Reuters

Richard Yu, CEO of the Huawei Consumer Business Group presents the new Mate X smartphone, ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC 19) in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 24, 2019. Sergio Perez, Reuters

MANILA -- Huawei launched its folding Mate X smartphone on Sunday, in a response to Samsung's Galaxy Fold, as it teased the arrival of its photography-centered P30 series in March.

Shenzen-based Huawei, the world's second largest smartphone maker also highlighted its 5G technology at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

Huawei and market leader Samsung are racing to innovate in the smartphone space as sales cool, with consumers holding on to their handsets longer and avoiding the yearly upgrade cycle.

The Mate X folds out to reveal an 8-inch near borderless screen with no notch and no punch holes for the camera. Huawei consumer business CEO Richard Yu said it would be the fastest 5G device upon release.

When folded, the Mate X functions as a 6.6-inch smartphone.

"You can use this in any way, either you open it or you fold it. It's very convenient," he said. The design, inspired by the falcon's wing, took 3 years to develop, he said.

• Samsung's folding phone with 5G costs nearly $2,000

The Mate X's entire screen is visible even when folded unlike the Samsung Galaxy, which unfolds to reveal a tablet-like screen while keeping a smaller smartphone-style panel one one half of the device.

Aside from the Galaxy Fold, Samsung also unveiled last week its 10th generation S line, the Galaxy S10 Plus, S10 and the lower priced S10 e.

• FIRST LOOK: This is the Samsung Galaxy S10
• Huawei readies P30 series in answer to Samsung's Galaxy S10

Huawei, on its Philippines Facebook page, teased the P30 Pro with a shot of the moon with the watermark slightly blurred. Leaks point to as many as 4 cameras on the rear of the P30 Pro.

The Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus and Xiaomi's Mi 9 have 3 rear cameras each on the rear.

Huawei also unveiled Sunday 5G WiFi devices for the home and on the go and its Matebook X Pro touchscreen notebook with a 91 percent screen-to-body ratio and a wider 3:2 aspect ratio.