Huawei and Xiaomi launch foldables ahead of Apple's September 9 event

MUMBAI: The foldable race is unfolding at full speed, and Apple has not even entered the frame yet. Huawei and Xiaomi have launched new flagship foldable smartphones just days before Apple's September 9 event, putting their premium devices in the spotlight before Cupertino takes over the tech news cycle. Huawei on Monday unveiled the Mate XT2, the latest generation of its tri-fold smartphone, while Xiaomi introduced the Xiaomi 18 Fold at a separate event. The launches sharpen competition in China's premium smartphone market at a particularly interesting moment, with Apple widely expected to make its long-awaited move into foldables. Xiaomi was not particularly shy about making that comparison itself. At the launch, CEO Lei Jun directly compared the Xiaomi 18 Fold with Apple's devices, highlighting the handset's 219-gram weight and saying it was lighter than the iPhone Pro Max. The company also claimed that its in-house XRing O3 AI processor outperformed Apple's A19 Pro in responsiveness, turning the launch into more than just an unveiling, it became an early comparison with a product Apple has yet to officially reveal. The timing is hard to miss. Major Apple launches generate an enormous global media cycle, and rivals have increasingly sought to establish their own products in the conversation before the spotlight swings towards Cupertino. This time, however, the stakes are higher. Apple is widely expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone at its September 9 launch event, potentially entering a category where Chinese smartphone makers have already spent years developing devices and building consumer awareness. Huawei's Mate XT2 adds another dimension to that competition with its tri-fold design, while Xiaomi is using the Xiaomi 18 Fold to challenge Apple on weight and processor performance. For Chinese manufacturers, the launches offer a chance to frame the foldable conversation before Apple gets its turn. For Apple, meanwhile, the challenge may be arriving late to a category where competitors are no longer simply experimenting with the form factor. The coming days could therefore turn into a three-way technology showdown with Huawei and Xiaomi already on the field and Apple preparing to unfold its hand.