Huawei’s latest innovation, the Mate XT tri-foldable smartphone, has stirred nationalistic fervor in China, with social media buzzing over its perceived superiority over Apple’s new iPhone 16 lineup.
The Mate XT, unveiled on Tuesday, has been hailed as a breakthrough despite the high $2,800 price tag, which many find steep.
Huawei’s launch of the Mate XT, the world’s first tri-foldable phone, came just hours after Apple’s announcement of its AI-enhanced iPhone 16 series. Both devices are set to hit the market on September 20, though the Mate XT will initially be available only in China.
On Weibo, China’s equivalent to Twitter, users expressed pride in Huawei’s achievements. One comment read, “Apple hasn’t fallen, but Huawei has truly risen again,” while another noted, “Times are changing. U.S. sanctions have been in vain.”
A video claiming to show Apple store employees in China visiting a Huawei store to watch the Mate XT launch became a trending topic on Weibo, amassing 91 million views and over 6,600 comments.
The Mate XT’s debut follows Huawei’s successful re-entry into the 5G smartphone market with its Mate 60 and Pura series, which feature domestically produced semiconductors. These products have been celebrated in China as victories over U.S. sanctions imposed since 2019, which restrict the company’s access to advanced American technology. The U.S. government considers Huawei a national security threat, a claim the company denies.
Huawei enthusiasts also noted that Apple has yet to announce a local AI partner for its iPhone 16 range in China, and its AI software will only be available in Chinese next year.
However, despite the patriotic excitement, the Mate XT’s price has been a point of contention. The base model starts at 19,999 yuan, with more advanced versions costing up to 23,999 yuan ($3,300). Many have criticized the pricing as excessive, especially amid a period of economic sluggishness.
A Weibo poll revealed that of 9,200 respondents, only 966 planned to purchase the Mate XT. Over 4,700 were deterred by the price, while 3,500 were not considering buying it at all. “No matter how much I like the product, the price tag just sounds crazy to me,” said Xu, a loyal Huawei customer in Beijing. “Maybe Huawei isn’t really targeting people like me.”
