Huawei has revealed in its website that its upcoming triple-folding smartphone, the Mate XT, has gained significant attention, with over 3 million pre-orders ahead of its official launch.
IDC forecast in March 2023 projects that the size of the foldable smartphone market — in terms of shipments — will reach 48.1 million units in 2027 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.6 percent from 2022 to 2027.
This Z-shaped tri-fold phone is set to be unveiled at a launch event on Tuesday, and those who pre-ordered will be informed on how to purchase it. The strong pre-order figures for Mate XT reflect Huawei’s ability to thrive despite U.S. sanctions, and its position as a dominant player in the foldable phone market.
The launch of the Mate XT comes after Apple’s highly anticipated iPhone 16 lineup reveal on September 9, which is expected to focus on integrating AI features into their devices. Bloomberg has reported that Apple has delayed the rollout of its AI features, which may affect the expected sales cycle for the new iPhone 16.
In China, Huawei is the fourth largest smartphone brand with 15 percent share in Q2 2024, according to Canalys data. Apple does not feature in the list for top five smartphone makers in China. Huawei has shipped 10.6 million smartphones in China in Q2.
In the foldable phone market in China, Huawei’s competition with Apple is intensifying. Huawei is the leading foldable phone brand in China, holding a 42 percent market share in the second quarter of 2024, according to IDC.
Apple has made moves such as cutting prices to maintain its market share, illustrating the growing rivalry between these tech giants.
Globally, Huawei has shipped 11.7 million smartphones in Q2 2024. This compares with 45.6 million iPhones shipped by Apple, according to data by Omdia. Huawei is the tenth largest smartphone brand globally. Apple is the second largest smartphone brand.
According to media reports, the Huawei Mate XT will come in two storage variants: 16GB RAM + 512GB and 16GB RAM + 1TB storage. It also features XMAGE branding, hinting at Huawei’s self-developed imaging technology powering the handset’s photographic capabilities.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
