Sanctions? What Sanctions? Huawei Mate XT Takes Aim at iPhone 16 with Daring Same-Day Launch
- Huawei has launched the Mate XT, the world's first smartphone with a 3-fold foldable screen, just hours after Apple's iPhone 16 launch.
- According to Xiang Ligang, general manager of the Information Consumption Alliance, the iPhone 16 cannot be considered a major technological breakthrough.
- Apple's stock price fell more than 1% on the Nasdaq during the launch event, before rising 0.04% at market close.
Huawei Launches Mate XT, World’s First 3-Fold Foldable Smartphone
Huawei has launched the Mate XT, the world’s first smartphone with a 3-fold foldable screen, just hours after Apple’s iPhone 16 launch. This move has sparked a debate on whose technology is better.
According to Xiang Ligang, general manager of the Information Consumption Alliance, the iPhone 16 cannot be considered a major technological breakthrough. However, Huawei’s launch of the world’s first foldable mobile phone is considered a significant breakthrough in the smartphone industry.
Apple’s stock price fell more than 1% on the Nasdaq during the launch event, before rising 0.04% at market close. This reflects market uncertainty over the iPhone 16, which emphasizes artificial intelligence as a selling point.
Apple is focusing on AI-based software updates rather than hardware tweaks, analysts said. To attract customers, Apple is emphasizing the iPhone 16’s AI capabilities.
Smartphones are expected to become an important stage in the new era of AI competition, said Wang Peng, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The launch of the Mate XT comes after the success achieved by the continuous launch of numerous smartphone models. This demonstrates Huawei’s ability to resist US sanctions and continue innovating in the field of science and technology.
Richard Yu, President of Huawei’s Consumer Business, said at the Mate XT launch event that it took Huawei about five years to develop the world’s first tri-fold smartphone. It is also the world’s largest and thinnest foldable smartphone.
Pre-orders for the Mate XT appear to have surpassed 4 million units, showing the market’s confidence and expectations. The base model Mate XT will start at 19,999 yuan (about 94,595 baht).
Both Huawei and Apple will go on sale on the same day, September 20.
Source: Global Times