Huawei's Tri-Fold Phone Hits Store But Not For Walk In Customers

Huawei and Apple’s latest smartphones launched in China on Friday, but many fans of the Chinese brand were disappointed to find that its highly anticipated $2,800 tri-foldable Mate XT was not available for walk-in purchases. At Huawei's flagship store in Shenzhen, some self-proclaimed "super fans" expressed frustration after learning that only customers with confirmed pre-orders could buy the new device.

"I arrived at 10 p.m. last night because I was excited to support our country with this groundbreaking tri-folding phone," said a university student named Ye. "But this is really disappointing. They should have made it clear that we couldn't buy it."

A similar situation unfolded at the Huawei Wangfujing store in Beijing, where access to the much-hyped Mate XT, which folds in three ways like an accordion, was also limited to confirmed pre-order customers.

Reuters observed about 30 people waiting outside the Huawei store in Beijing and a similar crowd at the flagship shop in Shenzhen early Friday morning. In contrast, around 100 people were seen queuing outside one of Apple's major stores in Beijing.

A shopper named Rui, who had the chance to try out the Mate XT in Shenzhen, remarked, "I wanted to see what the excitement was about, but it's a bit large and not very practical."

This disappointment follows warnings from analysts that supply chain issues might leave many potential buyers of Huawei's Mate XT without the device, while others question the phone's steep price in a sluggish economy.

At the Mate XT's unveiling this month, Huawei executive director Richard Yu claimed the company had turned "science fiction into reality," but for many, owning the phone remains a distant dream.

Pre-orders for the Mate XT have exceeded 6.5 million, nearly double the approximately 3.9 million foldable smartphones shipped worldwide in the second quarter, according to consultancy IDC. Notably, "pre-ordering" does not require a deposit from consumers.

Huawei has not disclosed how many units have been produced or how many customers will receive the Mate XT on launch day. Apple did not respond to inquiries about the availability of its new iPhones in China on Friday.

In the Huaqiangbei electronics market in Shenzhen, a vendor selling phones stated she was offering the highest-memory version of the Mate XT for 150,000 yuan ($21,290), compared to the store price of 23,999 yuan, while the $2,800 model was priced over $4,000. When asked about sales, she said, "A few people have inquired, but it’s far too expensive."

APPLE NEEDS CHINA AI PARTNER

While Apple has historically enjoyed strong demand in China, where new iPhone launches once created a frenzy, its sales have declined, dropping from third to sixth place in the world’s second-largest economy.

The launch of Apple's new smartphone in China has been overshadowed by its failure to announce an AI partner in the country, as Apple Intelligence, its AI software, will only be available in Chinese next year. Some Apple fans downplayed the AI issue.

"The lack of AI in iPhones isn't a major concern for me right now; it's more of a gimmick at this point," said a customer named Shi, who upgrades his iPhone annually. He also expressed that Huawei's offering is too expensive and "not for ordinary customers."

Huawei has garnered substantial patriotic support in China, with fans impressed by the company's resilience in overcoming years of U.S. export controls that initially hindered its smartphone business. The launch of the Mate XT, which analysts say features a locally-made chipset, highlights Huawei's ability to navigate U.S. sanctions, although concerns remain about its mass production capabilities.

Recent checks have indicated that key components of the Huawei Mate XT, such as the panel, cover glass, and hinges, may be facing production yield issues, according to Lori Chang, a senior analyst at Isaiah Research.