Huawei’s new foldable trifold, Mate XT, is catching the eyeballs of Apple’s loyal customers in Beijing, according to CNBC’s spot checks yesterday- iPhone 16 launch day and the day of Huawei’s launching Mate XT. Though well-heeled in its holds of the Chinese market, Apple’s users are not immune to being swept by Huawei’s more innovative foldable product.
Of the 10, eight were interested in both Apple and Huawei’s latest devices. During a morning workday, CNBC spoke with customers at both companies’ flagship stores. The majority of customers said that what attracted them to Huawei was its innovative trifold design.
Huawei, which had clawed back ground for its smartphone business since the United States issued sanctions in 2019, placed fourth in the Chinese smartphone market during Q2 2023, according to Canalys. Apple fell out of the top five, where local players dominated the market.
the price difference between the two brands is staggering. When the starting price of iPhone 16 Pro Max is $1,199, the Huawei Mate XT already costs more than $2,800. On second-hand platforms like Xianyu, the Mate XT is resold in the range of 50,000 to 60,000 yuan, which is $7,100 to $8,520, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max sells in ranges from 10,500 yuan to 16,300 yuan.
Specifically, for its Mate XT customers, Huawei offered a special area in Huawei’s Beijing store. The waiting area was tight, with several dozen visitors during CNBC’s 80-minute observation. Still, unlike its Apple’s store counterpart where lines were already waiting at 5:30 a.m. today, lines were absent at Huawei’ stores. Apparently, many of those who went about carrying heavy stocks of the Mate XT did so in hopes of earning some dollars as they make sales of some of these accessories, which have been in great demand.
Perhaps the most vocal of the lot is surnamed Yang, who proclaims, “I really love Mate XT. I’ll try this new phone for a few days and then see whether I want to hold on to it or sell it.Yang uses an iPhone; he finds Huawei’s trifold features something new, while Apple’s latest release feels like “iteration.”
Even among devoted fans of Apple, interest in Huawei’s innovation now grows, showing a shift in the preference of Chinese consumer in the competitive market for smart phones.
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