Huawei has officially launched the Mate XT2 series in China on September 7, 2026, further heating up the foldable smartphone competition. Priced from CNY 19,999 (approximately USD 2,980), the flagship device introduces a tri-fold display that unfolds twice into a tablet-sized screen, powered by the in-house Kirin 9050 Pro chip.
The Mate XT2 features a redesigned hinge, enhanced water resistance, and a privacy-focused display mode for sensitive viewing. Huawei claims a 42% performance boost over the previous Mate XT series, thanks to the Kirin 9050 Pro’s LogicFolding architecture under the company’s Tau Scaling Law approach, which balances higher computing power with reduced battery consumption.
Huawei remains China’s leading smartphone brand with a 22.6% market share in Q2 2026 and controls 68% of the country’s foldable phone shipments. However, the company faces immediate pressure from Xiaomi’s upcoming foldable launch, scheduled later the same day. Xiaomi’s shares dropped about 3% in afternoon trading following the Mate XT2 unveiling, highlighting the market’s sensitivity to competitive moves.
Apple is also expected to enter the foldable segment soon, with its iPhone event set for Wednesday, September 9. Analysts anticipate a foldable iPhone that could leverage Apple’s integrated hardware and software ecosystem to challenge Huawei’s dominance.
Richard Yu, Huawei’s executive, noted pricing challenges due to rising memory costs. The top-tier Mate XT2 model reaches CNY 24,999, positioning the device as a luxury purchase for Chinese consumers. Sales begin September 12.