Huawei's next book-style foldable, the Mate X8, is being tipped for 24 November, which would put it two days earlier in the calendar than its predecessor.

The date comes from the Weibo tipster GuoJing. A second tipster, RuryRen, has been vaguer, placing the launch in the middle to late part of November and probably after the 20th. The two are not in conflict, and the Mate X7 went on sale in China on 26 November last year, so a date in that window is what the pattern would predict anyway.

What Has Leaked

Less than you would expect this close to a launch. Reports mention 16GB of memory and a teleconverter accessory, and a first look at the hardware pointed to a circular camera island and a purple finish. Huawei's own chairman has been photographed holding what appears to be the phone.

None of that is a specification sheet. There is no confirmed chipset, no display detail, no battery figure and no price.

There is also no word on whether the Mate X8 will be sold outside China. Huawei's recent flagships have had limited international availability, and nothing in the current leaks suggests that is changing.

A date that lines up with last year's, from a tipster, on a product the company chairman has already been seen carrying, is about as safe as an unconfirmed launch date gets. It is still unconfirmed.