Huawei, Xiaomi launched new foldables starting at $2,980 and $1,540 in China, raising pressure on Apple before its Sept. 9 event, where a foldable is expected.
Key Points:
- Huawei’s Mate XT2 starts at 19,999 yuan, or about $2,980, and folds out twice into a tablet-sized display.
- Xiaomi’s 18 Fold starts at 10,999 yuan, or about $1,540, and opens wide enough to run three apps side by side.
- Both companies pointed to rising memory costs as a major pricing challenge.
Huawei Mate XT2
Reuters reported Sept. 7 that Huawei introduced the Mate XT2 with its in-house Kirin 9050 Pro chip, a redesigned hinge, stronger water resistance and a privacy display designed to limit side viewing.
The series starts at 19,999 yuan and reaches 24,999 yuan, or about $3,725, with sales scheduled to begin Sept. 12. Huawei is pushing further into the premium tier.
Huawei said the Kirin 9050 Pro uses its LogicFolding architecture, tied to the Tau Scaling Law principle announced in May as the company works around U.S. restrictions on advanced technology.
“Pricing right now is a real challenge, because memory costs have risen sharply,” Huawei Executive Director Richard Yu said. He also cited heavy cost pressure from new technology.
At a separate event, Xiaomi unveiled the 18 Fold, which it described as a “medium-fold solution” that stays passport-sized when closed and supports three apps side by side when opened.
CEO Lei Jun said the device weighs 219 grams, measures 5.02 mm when unfolded and uses Xiaomi’s XRing O3 AI processor with DRAM supplied by Chinese memory maker CXMT. Prices range from 10,999 yuan to 14,999 yuan, or about $2,100.
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Xiaomi Challenges Apple
The timing puts both launches directly before Apple’s Sept. 9 event, where expectations are high that the company could introduce its own foldable (supposedly, called Ultra) alongside the next iPhone lineup. Xiaomi says its XRing O3 processor beats Apple’s A19 Pro in responsiveness, while Lei also defended the price as memory costs rise. “We don't say it is cheap, but it is value for money,” he said.
Second-quarter market data underscores how much of the premium smartphone fight is now centered on China, where local brands are challenging Apple across conventional and folding devices.
Huawei held 22.6% of the country’s smartphone market, ahead of Apple at 18.1%, while Xiaomi held 12.4%, according to IDC. Foldables are an even stronger position for Huawei, which held 68% of Chinese shipments, according to Smart Analytics Global.
Samsung Electronics remains the world’s largest foldable smartphone vendor, but its December tri-fold device was reportedly discontinued after three months before the company expanded its foldable lineup again in July. Huawei remains the only major brand currently selling a tri-fold phone, although U.S. restrictions keep its devices out of the American market. Apple would be entering a category its Asian rivals have already spent years developing.
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