While Motorola and Samsung have both shown why foldable smartphones are once again a force to reckon with this year with excellent releases from both brands, others are keen to capitalise on the popularity of this segment.

Now, new spy images show what appears to be Huawei’s rumored triple-fold smartphone, called as such because it will fold three times in a Z- or N-style format.

The source of the image isn’t known, but it has spread on the Chinese social network Weibo, according to Gizmo China.

Adding to speculation that this is the real thing is that the spy images show Richard Yu, the CEO of Huawei’s consumer business group, holding the device while seated in what appears to be the business class cabin of an aircraft.

The spy photo shows Yu holding a large-screen smartphone which when zoomed in appears to show three distinct sections to it, indicating it folds in the way expected from a triple-fold device.

It also appears that a single selfie camera is placed at the top of the screen section furthest away, which would be an unusual place for it to be on a standard book-style folding phone.

Spy shots of Huawei's rumored triple-folding smartphone

It’s also different from Huawei’s Mate XS 2, where the camera is tucked away in the corner of the open screen, or under the display in other models.

Even if this is indeed the rumored triple-folding device, it may be nothing like the final product as this could well just be a prototype which may explain its chunky design as the real product may be tucked beneath pieces of a plastic case to deliberately disguise the actual device.

Users on Weibo are suggesting that the tri-fold Huawei phone will be expensive, with a converted local price of at least A$4,223, similar to the original Huawei Mate X folding phone.

Yu had in effect confirmed the existence of the N-shaped folding phone during a recent interview. He said the device had taken five years to reach this stage, but did not refer to specifications or the release date, aside from saying it would “soon be released.”