Huawei launched a new version of its flagship foldable smartphone on Monday as it seeks to defend its lead in the Chinese market for premium handsets against Apple and Xiaomi, both of which are also unveiling new products.
The new Mate XT2 folds out twice to open into a tablet-sized screen and features Huawei’s new Kirin 9050 Pro chip.
Huawei, which does not sell in the U.S. due to sanctions, leads China’s smartphone market with a 22.6% share in the second quarter, ahead of Apple’s 18.1%, according to consultancy IDC. Xiaomi has 12.4% of the market. Huawei is even more dominant in folding phones, accounting for 68% of shipments in China in the second quarter, according to Smart Analytics Global, a U.S.-based research company.
Huawei says the chip’s design allows it to deliver more computing power while using less electricity, helping the company overcome U.S. restrictions on access to advanced technology.
