Battle for Supremacy: Huawei Takes on Apple with Same-Day Release – China Weighs In
Huawei’s Mate XT Surpasses Apple’s iPhone 16 in Pre-Orders, But Faces Supply Chain Issues
Huawei and Apple Go Head-to-Head in the Chinese Market
Huawei’s trifold phone, the Mate XT, and Apple’s iPhone 16 were officially released on the same day, sparking a heated competition in the Chinese market. Despite its high price of over 4 million won, Huawei’s Mate XT has surpassed Apple with pre-orders exceeding 6 million units.
However, the Mate XT is facing issues with parts supply, and the iPhone 16 is facing concerns about sluggish sales, making the battle between the two tech giants far from over.
Huawei Fans Face Disappointment Due to Limited Supply
According to Reuters, Huawei fans who visited Huawei’s offline stores were turned away without being able to purchase the Mate XT, as the device could only be sold to buyers who had confirmed pre-orders.
A Huawei fan told Reuters, “I’ve been waiting since 10pm last night. It’s very disappointing. They should have made it clear in advance that you can’t buy (without pre-order).”
Analysts Raise Concerns About Huawei’s Supply Chain
Some analysts have pointed out that potential buyers of the Mate XT may go home empty-handed due to supply chain constraints. Lori Chang, senior analyst at Taiwanese market research firm Isaiah Research, said, “Based on our recent inspection, we believe that key components of the Mate XT, including the display, special glass, and hinge, may have yield issues.”
Huawei’s Mate XT Sells Out Quickly, While iPhone 16 Faces Sluggish Sales
The Mate XT sold out within seconds on Huawei’s official website as well as on Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Jingdong. According to Huawei, the number of pre-orders for the Mate XT has exceeded 6.5 million units.
On the other hand, the iPhone 16, which also went on sale on the same day, appears to have received less enthusiastic responses in China than usual, with discounts of up to 11% on Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Pinduoduo (PDD).
Huawei Announces Direct Confrontation with Apple
Huawei announced a direct confrontation with Apple on the 9th, when it unveiled the Mate XT the same day that Apple held its new product announcement event. Bloomberg said, ”Huawei unveiled the trifold phone just hours after Apple released the iPhone 16, signaling that Huawei will not allow Apple’s new products to even enjoy a brief moment of popularity after their release, at least in the domestic (Chinese) market.”