Huawei, Xiaomi to debut new top phones on eve of foldable iPhone
Huawei and Xiaomi have launched new flagship foldable smartphones in China, positioning them as competitors to Apple's upcoming product releases. Both companies emphasized technological advancements in chip design and hardware despite rising costs for memory components.
Why it matters
This reflects the intensifying competition in the premium smartphone market and China's push for technological self-reliance amidst international trade restrictions.
BURSA SGX Home Make The Edge Malaysia your preferred source on Google GUANGZHOU/BEIJING (Sept 7): Huawei and Xiaomi launched new flagship foldable smartphones on Monday, stepping up competition in China's premium handset market ahead of Apple's product launch later this week.
Huawei's new Mate XT2 series, which fold out twice into a tablet-sized screen, features its Kirin 9050 Pro chip, a redesigned hinge, improved water resistance and a privacy screen that prevents nearby people from viewing the display.
The devices are priced from 19,999 yuan (US$2,980 or RM12,052), with the top-end version costing 24,999 yuan (US$3,725). Sales begin on Sept 12.
"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," Huawei executive director Richard Yu told a press conference.
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