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Chinese tech giants Huawei and Xiaomi are preparing to launch their latest foldable smartphones in China on Monday, escalating competition in the premium handset segment just days before Apple is anticipated to enter the foldable category for the first time.

The rollouts reflect a strategic bet by Chinese manufacturers on high-end, premium devices to offset broader headwinds facing the global smartphone market, including declining global shipments and climbing component costs. Concurrently, Apple's impending debut is expected to catalyze consumer interest and expand the total addressable market for competing devices.

Huawei Bets on Next-Gen Tri-Fold Smartphone

Huawei is set to unveil the Mate XT 2, the next generation of its luxury tri-fold device, aiming to solidify its leadership in large-screen hybrid form factors that transition seamlessly between a smartphone and a tablet.

The device features a dual-hinge mechanism that preserves a conventional smartphone form factor when closed while expanding into an expansive tablet display when opened. Alongside the hardware iteration, Huawei is introducing a new chip architecture philosophy termed "LogicFolding" to optimize processing performance, running on the latest HarmonyOS 7. The launch arrives at a critical juncture for Huawei, which reported lower first-half profits despite shipment gains after aggressively stockpiling inventory to hedge against rising component prices, particularly memory.

Xiaomi Deepens Domestic Component Integration

Later in the day, Xiaomi will introduce the "18 Fold," highlighting the company's accelerating push toward domestic component self-reliance.

The device is powered by the "Xring O3," an in-house 3-nanometer processor unveiled by Xiaomi in August, alongside memory modules sourced from Chinese memory maker CXMT. Featuring a traditional book-style folding mechanism—distinct from Huawei's tri-fold architecture—the launch directly pits Xiaomi against Huawei in same-day showcases, with Huawei hosting its event earlier in the day and Xiaomi holding its presentation in the evening.

Apple's Entry Poised to Reshape Foldable Dynamics

Market attention is amplified by expectations that Apple will reveal its first foldable iPhone during its scheduled event on Wednesday, potentially drawing millions of affluent users to the form factor.

Anticipated to be priced above $2,000, Apple's foldable will sit at the ultra-premium end of the spectrum. Analysts note that Apple's arrival serves not only as a competitive threat to incumbents like Huawei, Xiaomi, and Samsung, but also as a primary catalyst that could mainstream foldable devices and broaden overall consumer adoption across a category that remains one of the few growth bright spots in China's maturing smartphone market.