Huawei launches new foldable smartphone as competition with Xiaomi, Apple heats up

GUANGZHOU/BEIJING: Huawei launched ​a new version ​of its flagship foldable smartphone on Monday as ​it seeks to defend its lead in the Chinese market for premium handsets against Apple and Xiaomi, both of which are ‌also unveiling ⁠new products.

The ⁠new Mate XT2 folds out twice to open into a tablet-sized screen and features Huawei's new Kirin 9050 Pro chip.

Huawei says ​the chip's design allows it to deliver more computing power while using less electricity, helping the company overcome ​U.S. restrictions on access to advanced ⁠technology.


Xiaomi launches ‌a rival foldable phone later on Monday, ​while Apple ​unveils its latest iPhone series on Wednesday, ⁠with expectations high that it too will ​be unveiling a foldable phone.

The Mate XT2 ​features a redesigned folding mechanism, improved water resistance as well as an optional screen that prevents people nearby from seeing what is displayed. It also has upgraded cameras and delivers 42% better overall performance than its ‌predecessor, based on company tests.

Huawei, which does not sell in the U.S. due to sanctions, ​leads China's ​smartphone market ⁠with a 22.6% share in the second quarter, ahead of Apple's 18.1%, according to consultancy IDC. Xiaomi has 12.4% of ​the market.

Huawei is even more dominant in folding phones, accounting for 68% of shipments in China in the second quarter, according to Smart Analytics Global, a U.S.-based research company.