Huawei’s $3,660 Trifold Phone Set for Global Launch

Tuesday saw the release of Huawei’s trifold smartphone outside of China as the company prepares to reenter foreign markets following a shaming by U.S. sanctions.

The initial cost of the Mate XT will be 3,499 euros ($3,660). Although Huawei has not yet disclosed which nations will carry the model, users are advised to keep an eye out for regional announcements. The item was offered for sale in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to a CNBC check.

Being the first trifold phone, the device attracted attention from all around the world when it was originally unveiled in China last year. Typical foldable gadgets can be folded once in a vertical or horizontal direction. The Mate XT can be folded in two different ways and can show material on one, two, or three screens.

In the past, Huawei was the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer, competing with Apple and Samsung in the high-end market.

Huawei’s market share fell as a result of U.S. restrictions that started in 2019 and prevented it from accessing Google’s Android operating system and cutting-edge components. As other brands stepped in to fill the void, it was virtually eliminated from global marketplaces. International Data Corporation, a research agency, reports that Huawei’s market share for smartphones outside of China is a mere 0.3%.

However, according to the IDC, Huawei’s market share in China increased from 12% in 2023 to 17% in 2024 as a result of a resurgence that started in late 2023 when the company unveiled a smartphone with a reasonably sophisticated chip. Many were taken aback by the element because U.S. restrictions in recent years have aimed to deny China access to cutting-edge semiconductor technology.

However, Jeronimo noted that Huawei could still make $1.5 billion even if it sold half a million Mate XTs.

Huawei’s attractiveness outside of China will be tested with the Mate XT. First of all, it will not be running the most widely used operating system in the world, Android, developed by Google.

Huawei’s app store lacks some of the most well-known Google programs that people outside of China depend on, which could reduce the Mate XT’s appeal. In contrast, users of Android phones have access to millions of apps through the Google Play Store. 

Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research, told CNBC that the absence of Google remains a “gaping hole” for the mainstream global market, particularly for those who are willing to pay top dollar for a tri-fold piece of hardware but wish to use Netflix, Google Play Store, or the newest, most advanced GenAI Google Gemini features.

Google’s artificial intelligence chatbot is called Gemini.

Read More: The fans’ opinion of Tottenham 1-0 Manchester United