Chinese tech giant Huawei has launched the world’s first triple-folding smartphone, the Mate XT, priced at $2,800—more than three times the cost of the newly released iPhone 16. According to media reports, the launch this week, led by Huawei executive Richard Yu at the company’s headquarters in Shenzhen, drew significant attention, with over three million people registering interest before its release.
The Mate XT, which goes on sale from September 20, transforms into a 10.2-inch tablet and weighs 298 grams, reported AFP. Designed with a sleek red and gold exterior, it targets a niche market of affluent consumers. "This is the world’s first triple-folding phone. We’ve put in immense effort to solve mass production and reliability challenges," said Richard Yu during the launch.
Despite its high price, experts believe the Mate XT is unlikely to affect Apple’s dominance in China’s premium phone market. "Its impact on Apple’s market share will be limited," AFP quoted Ethan Qi, associate director at Counterpoint, as saying. However, Toby Zhu, a senior analyst at Canalys, believes the phone will enhance Huawei’s technological leadership in the foldable phone sector, particularly among China’s wealthiest consumers.
Huawei, once China’s largest smartphone maker, saw its market share decline after U.S. sanctions crippled its access to American technology. However, it made a comeback last year using domestically produced chips and now holds more than half of the foldable phone market in China, AFP added.
