Huawei racks up 3 mln pre-orders for tri-fold phone before Apple’s iPhone 16 reveal

Chinese tech giant Huawei has amassed more than 3 million pre-orders for its highly anticipated triple-folding smartphone, as reported on the company’s website Monday. This announcement comes just ahead of Apple’s unveiling of its new iPhone lineup.

The Huawei Mate XT, a revolutionary Z-shaped tri-fold smartphone, is set to be introduced at a launch event on Tuesday, as confirmed via the company’s WeChat account. Pre-ordering customers will receive information on purchasing the device on the day of the event, without needing to make a down payment in advance.

This strong pre-order response highlights Huawei’s resilience in the face of U.S. sanctions and reinforces its competitive stance against Apple, which earlier this year reduced prices to maintain its market share.

The timing of Huawei’s launch closely follows Apple’s Sept. 9 event, where Apple is expected to reveal its iPhone 16 series, with a focus on integrating advanced AI capabilities into its flagship models.

Huawei currently dominates the foldable phone market in China, holding a 42% share in the second quarter, according to IDC consultancy.