Huawei Mate XT: Tri-fold smartphone steals the show from Apple

The new Huawei Mate XT impresses as a tri-fold smartphone for around 2,536 euros and is aimed at Apple’s iPhone 16.

Huawei presented the new Mate XT, a tri-fold smartphone for around €2,536, on Tuesday, as reported by Reuters. The Chinese company is aiming to expand its leading position in the world’s largest smartphone market and at the same time divert attention away from Apple, which had recently unveiled the iPhone 16.

The Mate XT, which can be folded in three directions like a sliding accordion door, was presented in the Shenzhen tech hub. According to the company’s website, the device has already received over 3.6 million pre-orders, for which no deposit is required. The total global market for foldable phones amounted to around 4 million units in the second quarter, according to research company IDC.

With a width of 3.6 mm, the Mate XT is the thinnest foldable phone in the world, according to the company, and has a keyboard accessory that fits in your pocket. It comes in red and black and has a 10.2-inch screen. However, analysts see the new device more as a symbol of Huawei’s technological superiority than a mass market hit, mainly due to its high price.

Challenges for Apple in China

While Huawei impresses with its foldable smartphone, Apple is facing challenges in China. The new iPhone 16 has been criticized for its lack of AI features, which has been met with a negative response from Chinese consumers. Apple has yet to announce an AI partner in China to power the 16 and Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI software, will not be available in Chinese languages until next year. Apple’s market share in China has fallen recently, and the company now ranks as the sixth largest smartphone manufacturer in the country.

Huawei made a comeback in the high-end smartphone segment last year with the release of a device powered by a domestically manufactured chip, defying US sanctions that have cut off access to global chipset supply chains. The launch of the Mate 60 Pro took analysts and US officials by surprise. Huawei already has dual-foldable phones in its lineup, and their strong sales in China helped the company overtake Samsung Electronics this year as the largest supplier of such phones globally.

A technological masterpiece, but not a mass product

Although the Mate XT is celebrated for its ground-breaking technology, the price and limited availability are likely to make it unaffordable for most consumers. Analysts expect the device to become more of a status symbol than a real bestseller.