Apple iPhone 16 Faces Strong Challenger! Huawei Mate XT Triple-Folding Phone Emerges, Can Apple Remain on Top?

Apple iPhone 16 Faces Strong Challenger! Huawei Mate XT Triple-Folding Phone Emerges, Can Apple Remain on Top?September 10, 2024, witnessed an epic clash in the tech world. Apple unveiled its annual flagship phone, the iPhone 16, while Huawei launched the world's first triple-folding phone, the Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master, at the same time

Apple iPhone 16 Faces Strong Challenger! Huawei Mate XT Triple-Folding Phone Emerges, Can Apple Remain on Top?

September 10, 2024, witnessed an epic clash in the tech world. Apple unveiled its annual flagship phone, the iPhone 16, while Huawei launched the world's first triple-folding phone, the Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master, at the same time. This coincidental launch was no accident, as Huawei clearly intended to "rub shoulders" with Apple, aiming to showcase its innovative prowess and challenge Apple's market dominance.

As early as August 27, Apple announced its fall 2024 new product launch event for 1 AM Beijing time on September 10. On September 2, Huawei promptly announced a grand event for its Extraordinary brand and Hongmeng Zhixing new product launch, scheduled for the same day. Not only did the launch events coincide, but the release dates of the iPhone 16 and the Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master were both set for September 20, further intensifying this head-to-head clash between the tech giants.

While the iPhone 16 and the Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master are not direct competitors, Huawei's choice to release its new product at the same time and target the iPhone 16's release date undoubtedly aims to leverage Apple's popularity, attract more attention, and showcase its ambitious spirit to the market.

iPhone 16 Lacks Innovation, Offers Poor Value for Money, Receives Cold Market Response

In recent years, although the Apple iPhone series has maintained its high-end market positioning, its innovation pace has gradually slowed down, leading some consumers to jokingly refer to it as "squeezing toothpaste." This incremental update strategy may maintain a certain market share in the short term, but in the long run, it could gradually lose consumer attention and loyalty due to a lack of groundbreaking innovation.

While the iPhone 16 boasts configuration upgrades in terms of processor, memory, camera button, etc., the standard edition, priced at a hefty 5999 yuan, still doesn't support a 120Hz refresh rate, only offers 128GB of memory, and has a mere 20W charging power, failing to offer competitive value for money. Additionally, the iPhone 16 series' AI functionality is still "struggling" in multiple regions, unable to meet diverse consumer AI demands.

In an increasingly competitive market, even with price reduction strategies, Apple finds it difficult to effectively reverse its declining sales. Data from market research firm CIRP shows that in the second quarter of 2024, the proportion of Android users switching to iPhone reached a five-year high of 17%, almost double that of the same period last year.

Huawei Mate XT Breaks New Ground, Leads the Folding Screen Technology Trend

The Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master, as the world's first triple-folding phone, not only stands out in design but also showcases Huawei's exploration and imagination regarding the future form of smartphones through its technological advancements. This phone features the world's first Huawei Tian Gong hinge system, enabling both inward and outward folding, providing an unprecedented user experience.

Yu Chengdong, executive director and chairman of Huawei's Consumer Business Group, as well as chairman of the Intelligent Automotive Solutions Business Unit, stated that the Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master represents Huawei's most leading, innovative, and disruptive product, a groundbreaking device that others have thought of but couldn't achieve. "Five years of persistence and investment, we have transformed science fiction into reality."

Due to its highly competitive nature, the Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master has become a market darling even before its official launch. As of the afternoon of September 11, 2024, pre-orders for this product have exceeded 5 million, far exceeding its available stock. Driven by overwhelming demand, the Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master has been scalped at an exorbitant price of 380,000 yuan per unit, a 16-fold increase compared to the price of the top configuration version.

Huawei Mate 70 Series is Imminent, Posing a Major Challenge to Apple

While the production capacity of the Huawei Mate XT Extraordinary Master is extremely limited, unable to meet the needs of all users, Huawei may not let the iPhone 16 series breathe easy for too long. In June 2024, Yu Chengdong revealed that the Huawei Mate 70 series will be released in the fourth quarter, featuring the official release of the HarmonyOS NEXT system.

Information available online suggests that the Huawei Mate 70 series will be equipped with a brand-new Kirin 9 series platform, support 3DToF facial recognition, and enable satellite communication. With lower manufacturing difficulty, the inventory of the Huawei Mate 70 series is highly abundant. Blogger "Changzhang Shi Guanxuesheng" revealed that compared to the Mate 60 series, the inventory of the Huawei Mate 70 series has increased by 40%-50%.

Considering the Huawei Mate 70 series' more powerful overall configuration and ampler inventory, it could become an "iPhone killer." TechInsights, a market research firm, predicts that with the continuous launch of Huawei's new products and adjustments in market strategy, Huawei's smartphone shipments in China are expected to exceed 50 million units in 2024, reaching a market share of 19% and a 7 percentage point year-on-year increase.

In fact, even before the Huawei Mate 70 series release, Apple has started showing signs of nervousness. Supply chain sources indicate that the iPhone 16 series inventory is 88 million units, a decline of 3.3% compared to the approximately 91 million units of the iPhone 15 series in the same period last year.

Huawei's Rise Will Inject New Vitality and Transformation into the Tech Industry

In today's highly competitive tech market, every product launch by the tech giants Apple and Huawei is a focal point of industry attention. In recent years, although Apple's iPhone series has maintained its high-end market positioning, its innovation pace seems to have slowed down. This incremental update strategy may maintain a certain market share in the short term, but in the long run, it could gradually lose consumer attention and loyalty due to a lack of groundbreaking innovation.

Meanwhile, Huawei continues to demonstrate its strength in technological innovation. The recently launched triple-folding phone not only stands out in design but also showcases Huawei's exploration and imagination regarding the future form of smartphones through its technological advancements. This bold attempt undoubtedly dampened Apple's spirits to some extent while also earning Huawei market respect and expectations.

Looking ahead, Huawei's upcoming Mate 70 series is expected to feature more cutting-edge technologies and innovative functions, undoubtedly posing a significant challenge to Apple's iPhone 16 series. As Huawei continuously advances in technological innovation and market strategy, its influence in the global technology arena is also steadily growing.

Therefore, although Apple still holds a significant position in the global tech market due to its brand influence and well-established ecosystem, Huawei, with its continued innovation in 5G, artificial intelligence, foldable screen technology, and other areas, is gradually narrowing the gap with Apple. As Huawei continues to expand in global markets and enhance its brand influence, its potential to replace Apple as the global tech leader is gradually increasing.

In this clash of tech giants, Huawei's rise will undoubtedly inject new vitality and transformation into the entire industry. In the future, we will watch with anticipation to see who ultimately wins this pinnacle showdown in the tech world.