Huawei and Xiaomi have introduced new premium foldable smartphones in China, intensifying competition in the high-end mobile market just days before Apple is expected to reveal its latest iPhone lineup. The launches highlight how Chinese smartphone makers are continuing to push foldable technology, custom-designed processors and advanced display features as they compete for consumers looking beyond traditional smartphones.
Huawei has unveiled its new Mate XT2 series, a range of foldable devices designed to transform from a smartphone into a much larger, tablet-style display. The phones use a three-panel folding design, allowing the screen to fold twice. This approach gives users a large display when the device is opened while keeping it relatively compact when carried.
The Mate XT2 introduces several hardware changes compared with earlier Huawei foldable models. The company has redesigned the hinge, improved resistance to water and added a privacy display feature designed to make it harder for people standing nearby to see what is shown on the screen. These additions show that manufacturers are increasingly focusing not only on screen size but also on durability, privacy and everyday usability.
Huawei has priced the new Mate XT2 series from 19,999 yuan, equivalent to roughly $2,980, while the most expensive version is priced at 24,999 yuan, or about $3,725. Sales are scheduled to begin on September 12. The pricing places the device firmly in the luxury smartphone segment, making it considerably more expensive than conventional flagship phones.
Richard Yu, Huawei’s executive director, acknowledged the pressure involved in pricing such an advanced device. “Pricing right now is a real challenge, because memory costs have risen sharply. We adopted a lot of new technology, and the cost pressure has been enormous,” he said at a press conference.
The company is also using the launch to showcase its growing focus on internally developed chip technology. The Mate XT2 is powered by Huawei’s Kirin 9050 Pro processor, which the company says provides increased computing performance while consuming less power.
Huawei has been working to strengthen its semiconductor capabilities amid restrictions that have limited its access to some advanced overseas technologies. The company says the new processor uses an architecture known as LogicFolding. This forms part of a broader chip-development approach Huawei introduced earlier this year as it seeks to improve performance through domestic engineering and manufacturing.
The processor is particularly important because Huawei’s smartphone business has increasingly become a symbol of China’s efforts to develop advanced technology independently. Every new flagship therefore carries significance beyond its specifications, especially as the company continues to compete in a market where processor performance, artificial intelligence capabilities and energy efficiency are major selling points.
While Huawei is targeting the ultra-premium end of the foldable market, Xiaomi has taken a somewhat different approach with its latest device. The company introduced the Xiaomi 18 Fold at a separate event, presenting it as its most premium smartphone so far.
The Xiaomi 18 Fold uses what the company describes as a medium-fold design. When closed, the phone is approximately the size of a passport, making it easier to carry than some larger foldable models. When opened, however, its larger display can support several applications at the same time, including three apps running side by side.
That multitasking capability reflects one of the main reasons consumers are interested in foldable smartphones. Instead of simply offering a larger screen for watching videos or browsing, manufacturers are increasingly presenting foldables as productivity devices that can combine the convenience of a phone with some of the functionality of a tablet.
Xiaomi Chief Executive Lei Jun also emphasized the physical design of the new phone when comparing it with Apple’s premium smartphones. According to Lei, the device weighs 219 grams and measures just 5.02 mm in thickness when unfolded, making it lighter than Apple’s iPhone Pro Max.
The company has also equipped the Xiaomi 18 Fold with its internally developed XRing O3 artificial intelligence processor. Lei Jun said the chip delivers faster responsiveness than Apple’s A19 Pro processor. Such claims will inevitably attract attention as smartphone companies increasingly compete over processor performance, AI features and power efficiency rather than relying solely on camera upgrades or display improvements.
The Xiaomi device is priced between 10,999 yuan, approximately $1,540, and 14,999 yuan, around $2,100. That gives Xiaomi a significantly lower starting price than Huawei’s new tri-fold model, although both devices remain expensive compared with conventional smartphones.
Lei Jun also pointed to rising component expenses while defending the phone’s pricing. “Nowadays, memory is very, very expensive. We don’t say it is cheap, but it is value for money,” he said.
Xiaomi’s latest foldable also uses DRAM memory supplied by Chinese semiconductor manufacturer CXMT. The decision is another indication of how domestic component suppliers are becoming increasingly important to China’s smartphone industry. Greater reliance on locally produced components could help Chinese manufacturers reduce exposure to international supply disruptions while strengthening the country’s wider semiconductor ecosystem.
The timing of both launches is particularly significant because Apple is preparing to unveil its latest iPhone models on September 9. There is also growing attention around the possibility that Apple could enter the foldable smartphone market, although expectations surrounding the company’s plans remain a major point of interest rather than a confirmed product detail.
For Huawei and Xiaomi, launching high-profile foldable phones immediately before Apple’s event creates an opportunity to demonstrate technological progress before attention shifts to the world’s most valuable consumer technology brands. It also underlines how the definition of a premium smartphone is changing. For years, competition centered largely on cameras, processor speeds and display quality. Foldable devices have added another dimension, with engineering around hinges, flexible screens, battery capacity and durability becoming increasingly important.
