Huawei launches new Mate XT2 foldable smartphone series with high prices

Huawei launched its new series of high-end foldable smartphones on Monday (7), in an attempt to defend its leadership in the Chinese market for premium devices against Apple and Xiaomi, which are also introducing new products.

The new Mate XT2 series devices unfold twice, transforming into a tablet-sized screen, and feature the manufacturer's new Kirin 9050 Pro chip.

But they are not cheap. Prices start at 19,999 yuan (about R$15,280), while the most expensive version costs 24,999 yuan (about R$19,100). Sales will begin on September 12th

"Pricing at this time is a real challenge as memory costs have risen dramatically. We have adopted many new technologies, and the pressure on costs has been enormous," Huawei CEO Richard Yu said at a press conference.

The model features a redesigned folding mechanism, greater water resistance and a screen feature that prevents people nearby from seeing what is being displayed. They also feature improved cameras and offer 42% better overall performance than the previous series, according to company tests.

The company stated that the design of the new chip allows it to offer greater processing capacity with lower energy consumption. The architecture, called LogicFolding, is part of the "Tau Scaling Law" principle, unveiled by Huawei in May as a way to help the company overcome US restrictions on access to advanced technologies.

Xiaomi will launch a competing foldable smartphone this Monday, while Apple will unveil its latest series of iPhones on Wednesday (9), with high expectations that it will also unveil a foldable model.

Huawei is currently the only major brand to sell the so-called tri-fold smartphone. The Chinese technology giant is, however, blocked from selling in the US, as Washington has deemed the company a national security risk.

South Korean Samsung, currently the world leader in sales of foldable smartphones, launched a three-fold model in December, but stopped sales after three months. In July, the company expanded its line of foldable products to include a passport-sized smartphone.

Huawei leads the Chinese smartphone market, with a 22.6% share in the second quarter, ahead of Apple, with 18.1%, according to consultancy IDC. Xiaomi holds 12.4% of the market.

The manufacturer is even more dominant in the foldable cell phone segment, accounting for 68% of shipments in China in the second quarter, according to Smart Analytics Global, a research company based in the United States.