Huawei launches updated foldable smartphone on the market

Mate XTs will be available starting at more than €2,000

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Huawei MTs

Huawei, the Chinese tech giant, has unveiled its second-generation smartphone with three features, the Mate XTs, with prices starting at €2,167. The launch reflects Huawei’s ambition to consolidate its resurgence in the Chinese market and cautiously return to the global stage.

Unlike traditional foldable phones with a single hinge, the Mate XTs has two, allowing it to fold at two points and transform into a tablet-like device when fully opened. Huawei pioneered this triple-fold concept with last year’s Mate XT, which was first launched in China before rolling out to selected international markets earlier this year.

The Mate XTs is intended to strengthen Huawei’s recent momentum in the Chinese smartphone market. Data from Counterpoint Research showed that Huawei’s market share rose to 18% in the second quarter of 2023, up from 15% in the same period last year, making Huawei the largest smartphone supplier in China. Additionally, analyst firm IDC reports that Huawei dominates the foldable phone category in China with a 75% market share.

According to IDC, the success of the Mate XT, which generated more than €1.118 in revenue from the sale of 470,000 units through the second quarter of 2023, demonstrates that consumer demand for innovative devices is picking up. Francisco Jeronimo, vice president for devices at IDC, called the performance solid despite the high price tag of the Mate XT.

Huawei’s drive for innovation comes after US sanctions in 2020 severely impacted its smartphone business by restricting access to essential software and chips. Since then, the company has developed its own operating system, HarmonyOS, and secured less advanced chip manufacturing in China, allowing it to re-enter the market. However, Huawei still faces challenges in expanding its market presence outside China.

With HarmonyOS 5.1, the latest version of Huawei’s proprietary operating system, the Mate XTs is positioned as a device focused on productivity. The screen will support PC-level applications optimized for multitasking, allowing users to stack, resize, or rearrange windows just like on a desktop computer.

The Mate XTs is available in four colours and comes with a 5,600mAh battery, significantly larger than many current smartphones. To attract buyers, Huawei is offering discounts of at least 50% on screen replacements, among other incentives.

Business AM

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