Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies is making a bold move with its latest tri-fold smartphone, the Mate XT. Within just seven hours of opening reservations on Saturday, the device attracted an impressive 1.3 million orders. This signifies a strong initial interest in Huawei’s new offering, especially given its launch timing.
The Mate XT, available in red and black, is set to be officially unveiled on Tuesday, September 17. This comes right before Apple’s expected iPhone 16 reveal on Monday, September 16 in the U.S. The timing suggests a strategic move by Huawei to compete head-on with Apple in the Chinese market.
Huawei’s tri-fold smartphone is scheduled to hit the market on September 20. Pricing and detailed specifications are expected to be announced at Tuesday’s launch event.
Besides the smartphone, Huawei also plans to launch a series of electric and new energy vehicles developed in partnership with a Chinese automaker. This move further demonstrates Huawei’s ambitions beyond the smartphone realm.
The rivalry between Huawei and Apple has intensified in recent months, especially in the Chinese market. Apple’s market share in China has declined, falling to 14% in the second quarter of 2024, a drop of two percentage points compared to the previous year. This decline has coincided with a surge in Huawei’s smartphone shipments.
This competitive landscape was also evident in January when Apple took the unprecedented step of slashing iPhone prices in China, a move widely interpreted as an attempt to retain market share.
With the launch of the Mate XT and its ambitious plans in the automotive sector, Huawei is clearly looking to challenge Apple’s dominance in the Chinese market and beyond. It remains to be seen if the Mate XT can live up to the initial hype and significantly impact the smartphone landscape.
