SHENZHEN — Chinese technology giant Huawei on Tuesday launched an industry-first tri-fold smartphone in South China's Shenzhen, with a number of technological breakthroughs such as a dual-hinge system and screen-bending features.
Yu Chengdong, Huawei's executive director, emphasized that continuous technological innovation is the key driver behind the evolution of foldable smartphones, a sector characterized by its high technological complexity.
"We dreamt of putting a tablet computer in our pockets, and today that dream has become a reality," he said, noting that it took five years to overcome the challenges of developing a solution and achieving mass production.
According to global market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), China's foldable mobile phone market experienced remarkable growth in 2023, with shipments increasing by 114.5 percent and surpassing 7 million units.
The Huawei Mate XT is priced at 19,999 yuan for the 256GB version, 21,999 yuan for the 516GB version, and 23,999 yuan for the 1TB version. It will officially go on sale on September 20, with pre-orders already underway. As of Wednesday morning, Huawei's official online store reported over 4 million orders placed.
Long wait times are expected at Huawei’s offline retailers, as noted by Chinese news outlet National Business Daily. A dealer in Hebei stated that only stores with strong sales records in the province will be able to secure the Mate XT for their customers.
