Carbon Works, a UAE-based startup, launched what they say is the world’s thinnest smartphone at Dubai’s GITEX Summit 2016 on Monday.

Launched in media partnership with Etisalat, the phone is 4.6 mm thick, almost half of that of the iPhone 6s, and weighs 107 grams.

“We had hundreds of people so excited to finally see the product, some had already been pre-ordering our phone,” Firas Khalifeh, CTO of Carbon Works, told Wamda.

Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also studied the phone during his tour of GITEX and spoke with Khalifeh about the phone specs and features.

According to Khalifeh, the new phone has a “good number” of preorders but did not disclose the amount. The phone is currently selling for $799.

What you need to know about the phone

Carbon Works made a splash when they announced their intention to launch the carbon fiber phone.

First, although lighter and more durable than most materials, it is yet to be adopted for mobile phones.

In 2013, there were murmurs of Samsung developing more carbon fiber products for its phones, but today, products on the market are limited to carbon fiber cases only.

Secondly, there is a serious risk of battery overheat and explosion with ultra-thin phones. No one wants a repeat of Samsung’s latest scandal.

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Launching a phone claiming to be the thinnest in the world inevitably attracted its fair share of skeptics.

“Many industrial engineers would ask repeatedly on the design and manufacturing of several aspects, especially the board. But we had to protect our IP,” said Jorge Martins, cofounder and CEO of Carbon Works.

Khalifeh disputed their claims.

“We had engineers and executives from Sony, Apple and UAE-based telecommunications companies just perplexed, and some went as far to say that we didn’t manufacture it, some Chinese company did and we’re taking the credit,” he said.

Khalifeh said they have been offered investment opportunities from several companies, including from a former Apple executive.

To find out more about the technology and design behind the carbon phone, read more here. The phone is still on display in GITEX until Thursday, the last day of the exhibition.