Huawei and Xiaomi Launch Premium Foldable Phones, Beating Apple's Foldable iPhone to Market
nashnova research
Days before Apple's first folding iPhone, Huawei unveiled the tri-fold Mate XT 2 and Xiaomi launched the 18 Fold with in-house chips — both racing to stake out the premium foldable segment while the category still accounts for only about 2% of global smartphone sales.
What does Huawei's tri-fold Mate XT 2 actually bring?
The Mate XT 2 is a generational upgrade to the original Mate XT from two years ago, built around two hinge mechanisms that unfold a phone into a large-screen tablet.
This means → Huawei has moved the tri-fold concept from proof-of-concept to a production refresh cycle, signaling the technology is ready to iterate at scale.
Positioned at the ultra-premium tier, the goal is not volume — it is holding the technological high ground in foldables.
Why does the Xiaomi 18 Fold deserve a separate look?
The 18 Fold uses a passport-style fold, similar in form factor to what the market expects from Apple's folding iPhone.
The real story is the supply chain: it runs on Xiaomi's in-house Xring O3 processor and CXMT memory, making it a showcase for China's push toward domestic component self-sufficiency.
In plain terms = this phone is not just a new product — it is a public debut for "core parts made at home."
Apple hasn't launched yet — why the rush?
Foldables currently account for only about 2% of global smartphone sales; the category has not truly scaled.
Counterpoint analyst Ivan Lam told Bloomberg that Apple commands the world's largest premium-device user base and its foldable will sell well, quickly capturing share.
He also noted that Apple's entry will expand the overall buyer pool for the category, with spillover effects lifting demand for rivals' devices too.
This means → Huawei and Xiaomi are playing both defense and offense: locking in upgraders before Apple arrives, while betting that if Apple grows the pie, early movers get a bigger slice.
What is the market watching next?
One core question: can Apple's entry genuinely reignite a category stuck at 2% of global sales?
If the category expands, Huawei and Xiaomi are already positioned to absorb spillover demand.
If Apple simply cannibalizes existing share without growing the pie, the first-mover advantage shrinks.
市场有风险，内容仅供研究参考，不构成投资建议。