Huawei, Xiaomi drop new foldables to compete with Apple

Smartphone makers Huawei and Xiaomi have unveiled their latest flagship foldable phones in China, a day before Apple’s expected product launch.

Huawei introduced the Mate XT2 series, a tri-fold device featuring the Kirin 9050 Pro to increase computing power while reducing power consumption.

The device also features upgraded water resistance and a specialized privacy display. Prices range from $2,980 to $3,725, with official sales set to begin on September 12.

Xiaomi unveiled the Xiaomi 18 Fold, a passport-sized foldable device running on an in-house XRing O3 AI processor and China’s CXMT DRAM memory chips. The phone weighs less than the iPhone Pro Max and costs between $1,540 and $2,100.

While Apple has not confirmed its plans, rumors continue to suggest that the US-based company will unveil its first foldable device on Wednesday. China remains a major market for Apple.

However, in China’s second-quarter smartphone market, Huawei led with a 22.6% share, followed by Apple at 18.1% and Xiaomi at 12.4%.