Reversing the traditional dynamic, the Huawei Mate Pad Air (2026) was announced for the global market back in July and will only launch in China next week on September 7. This will happen at the event for the tri-folding Huawei Mate XT 2. The Mate Pad Air (2026) is a 12-inch tablet with a 144Hz OLED display - a 3:2 2,800 x 1,840px panel.

Huawei's Paper Matte technology is an optional upgrade that cuts down on reflections and reduces interference from ambient light. The tablet is powered by the Kirin T93C chipset with 8/12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It has a 10,100mAh battery with 66W fast charging via the USB-C 3.1 port and a magnetic accessory connector for the optional keyboard cover.

Other interesting specs include the 6-speaker audio setup, a 50MP rear camera (4K @ 30fps video) and a 12MP front-facing camera. The tablet measures 5.3mm thick and weighs 509g. It has an aluminum frame but lacks an IP rating.

Global Huawei Mate Pad Air (2026) color options: Airy Blue • White • Sakura Pink. The tablet will be available in four colors: Pink, Dawn Gold, Blue and White. There is talk of upgrades for the Chinese release like increasing the screen's maximum brightness from 1,200 nits to 2,000 nits.

The software will certainly be different - the Chinese model will launch with Harmony OS 7, while the global one runs v4.3.