Huawei Unveils $2,800 Tri-Fold Smartphone to Challenge Apple’s Market Presence

Huawei has officially revealed its latest innovation, the Mate XT, a $2,800 tri-fold smartphone, with over 3.6 million pre-orders in China alone. This advanced device positions Huawei at the forefront of the global foldable smartphone market, where it currently holds a 27.5% market share. The Mate XT launch, which took place in Shenzhen, occurred just hours after Apple introduced its new iPhone 16, intensifying the competition between the two tech giants.

The Mate XT boasts a 10.2-inch display and a tri-fold design that folds like an accordion, offering users an expansive screen in a slim 3.6mm profile. Available in red and black, the Mate XT comes with advanced AI-powered features, including text summary, translation, editing, and AI-assisted photo enhancements. These features are powered by Huawei's in-house Kirin chips, enabling the device to perform at top speeds while managing complex tasks seamlessly.

At the launch event, Richard Yu, Huawei's executive director, said: “Our team worked for five years to create a product many could only dream of, and today, we’ve rewritten industry history with the Mate XT.” He emphasized that this revolutionary phone will lead the next era of foldable technology, aiming to turn sci-fi concepts into reality.

The new smartphone’s price starts at 19,999 yuan ($2,800) for the 256GB model, with higher memory options available for 21,999 yuan and 23,999 yuan. The device will hit the market on September 20, the same day as Apple’s iPhone 16, setting the stage for a direct showdown between the two brands.

While analysts predict that the Mate XT may not heavily impact global leaders like Apple and Samsung due to its high price and production limitations, it solidifies Huawei’s reputation as a leader in cutting-edge technology. Huawei’s dominance in the foldable market has surged, with a 42% market share in China, outpacing both Samsung and domestic competitors like Vivo and Honor.

Although the foldable smartphone market remains a small percentage of the overall smartphone industry—just 1.3% of the total market with 3.9 million units shipped in Q2 2024—the sector is growing rapidly. Analysts believe that while the Mate XT might not drive mass sales due to its high cost, it reinforces Huawei's role as a serious contender in the innovation race, offering a glimpse into the future of smartphones.