Huawei Unveils World’s First Triple-Folding Smartphone
Chinese tech giant Huawei unveiled its latest innovation, the Mate XT, on Tuesday, billing it as the world’s first trifold smartphone. The announcement came just hours after U.S. competitor Apple introduced its new iPhone 16, which is designed for generative artificial intelligence, signaling the intensifying rivalry between the two tech giants.
The Mate XT was launched at a keynote presentation by Huawei executive Richard Yu at the company’s headquarters in Shenzhen. Originally designed as a premium phone for a niche market, interest in the device skyrocketed, with over three million people registering their interest before the launch. Sporting a sleek red and gold design, the Mate XT is set to go on sale on September 20, with prices starting at 19,999 yuan ($2,800).
During the launch, Yu highlighted Huawei’s pioneering role in the foldable phone industry, stating that this is the world’s first triple-folding phone. He emphasized the challenges the company faced in terms of mass production and product reliability, but expressed confidence in the Mate XT’s readiness for the market.
Huawei’s new device enters the foldable phone market at a time when the company has reclaimed its position as a major player in China’s smartphone industry. Once the largest smartphone manufacturer in the country, Huawei’s market dominance took a hit after U.S. sanctions cut off its access to crucial technology. However, the company made a significant comeback in 2023 by introducing smartphones powered by domestically produced chips. In the first half of 2024, Huawei captured over half of the foldable phone market share in China.
Analysts believe the Mate XT’s release could further solidify Huawei’s leadership in foldable technology. According to Toby Zhu, a senior analyst at Canalys, this latest innovation will bolster Huawei’s position in the foldable phone market, where it already enjoys a strong presence. Despite this, Ethan Qi, associate director at research firm Counterpoint, expressed skepticism about the Mate XT’s potential impact on Apple’s sales. Given the Mate XT’s high price and limited availability, Qi noted that its influence on Apple’s market share in the premium phone sector is expected to be minimal, particularly due to Apple’s strong ecosystem and global appeal.
Huawei’s latest launch highlights the ongoing competition in the tech world, as both companies continue to push the boundaries of innovation to capture a larger share of the premium smartphone market.
