WASHINGTON—The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued an urgent recall today for the newly launched Huawei Mate XT trifold smartphone due to severe physical folding hazards.
The Origami Loop Defect
The federal safety notice warns that the trifold smartphone possesses too many hinges. Under normal operation, users frequently fold the screen into a closed position. However, the regulatory report states that the device can easily enter an unauthorized "origami loop." Once this sequence begins, the phone folds itself into a tight, impossible paper crane shape.
"We have received twelve reports of thumbs trapped inside the chassis," said Gordon Flense, Deputy Undersecretary for Things That Were Fine Before. "The device continues to fold itself until it achieves a sub-atomic density. This violates several local building codes and thermodynamic laws."
Affected Units and Remedies
The recall affects all units of the new trifold smartphone shipped this month. Affected consumers must immediately stop folding their phones. Regulators advise owners to lay the device flat on a concrete floor. Do not look directly at the hinges.
"My phone folded itself into a perfect replica of a 1997 Honda Civic," said consumer Brenda Vance. "I cannot make calls now because the microphone is located inside the catalytic converter."
Huawei announced it will ship a special cardboard splint to keep the trifold smartphone rigid. Tech giants like Apple are reportedly watching the situation. They will likely delay their own multi-folding designs to avoid spontaneous self-creasing.
At press time, the CPSC reported that three recalled phones had successfully folded themselves out of our dimension entirely.
