Huawei has unveiled its latest tri-fold smartphone series as the Chinese technology giant seeks to strengthen its position in the premium smartphone market ahead of Apple’s expected entry into the foldable category.
The new Mate XT2 series, launched on Monday, features devices that fold twice to expand into a tablet-sized display and is powered by Huawei’s new Kirin 9050 Pro chip.
Prices start at 19,999 yuan, equivalent to about $2,980, while the most expensive model costs 24,999 yuan, or approximately $3,725.
Sales are scheduled to begin on September 12.
Huawei Executive Director Richard Yu acknowledged the pricing pressure facing the company, citing rising memory costs and the expense of incorporating new technologies into the devices.
“Pricing right now is a real challenge, because memory costs have risen sharply,” Yu said.
Huawei said the new processor is designed to deliver greater computing performance while consuming less power.
The chip uses an architecture called LogicFolding, part of the “Tau Scaling Law” approach Huawei introduced earlier this year as it seeks to develop advanced chips despite U.S. restrictions on access to certain technologies.
The Mate XT2 features a redesigned folding mechanism, improved water resistance and a display privacy feature designed to prevent people nearby from viewing content on the screen.
Huawei has also upgraded the cameras and claims the new series delivers 42% better overall performance than its predecessor.
The launch comes as competition in the foldable smartphone market intensifies.
Xiaomi is also launching a competing foldable device, while Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone at its September 9 event.
Huawei remains the only major smartphone manufacturer currently selling a commercially available tri-fold device.
The company, however, cannot sell its smartphones in the United States, where it has been designated a national security risk by Washington.
Samsung remains the world’s largest foldable smartphone manufacturer. The South Korean company launched its own tri-fold device in December but reportedly discontinued sales after three months.
Huawei’s position in China remains particularly strong. According to IDC, the company held 22.6% of China’s smartphone market in the second quarter, ahead of Apple at 18.1% and Xiaomi at 12.4%.
Huawei’s dominance is even greater in foldable devices, accounting for 68% of China’s foldable smartphone shipments during the quarter, according to Smart Analytics Global.
