Samsung Faces Apple and Huawei in a Korea-U.S.-China Foldable Phone Showdown

The foldable phone race is turning into a three-way contest between South Korea, the United States and China. With Apple preparing to reveal its first foldable iPhone on the 9th, Huawei and Xiaomi have moved first by unveiling new models.

Reuters and Bloomberg reported on the 7th that Huawei introduced the Mate XT2, a phone that folds twice, while Xiaomi unveiled its flagship Xiaomi 18 Fold. Huawei’s new tri-fold model folds inward from both sides in what is described as a G-shaped design.

The move puts China at the front of the latest technology battle before Apple enters the market. Samsung Electronics, which currently leads the foldable phone sector, is running Galaxy Z Fold8 advertising campaigns in major cities around the world to protect its top position.

Huawei’s previous tri-fold model had already drawn strong demand, with pre-orders selling out. The new launches, alongside Samsung’s campaign and Apple’s expected announcement, have shifted the rivalry among the three major smartphone powers toward foldable devices.