The latest smartphones from Huawei and Apple went on sale in China on Friday, but many fans of the Chinese companies were disappointed to find that the coveted $2,800 models – more than twice the price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max – were not available in stores.
At Huawei's flagship store in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, self-described “enthusiasts” were left indignant after being told that only those with confirmed pre-orders could buy the tri-fold Mate XT.
“This is my first time getting this tri-fold phone, so I've been here since 10 night last night. I'm excited to be able to support my country,” said a university student surnamed Ye.
“But this is very disappointing. They should have made it clear that it was not available for purchase.”
A similar situation occurred at Huawei's Wangfujing store in Beijing, where access to the much talked about Mate XT, which folds in three directions like an accordion screen door, was restricted to only those with confirmed pre-orders.
Reuters saw about 30 people queuing outside a Huawei store in Beijing, with similar numbers lining up in Shenzhen, and about 100 people were seen queuing outside Apple's flagship store in the city.
“I wanted to see what all the hype was about, but it's a bit big and not very practical,” said Lui, who tried out the Mate XT in Shenzhen.
Analysts have warned that supply chain constraints could mean potential Mate XT buyers end up getting nothing, and some have questioned the device's high price in a sluggish economy.
Huawei executive Richard Yu said at the Mate XT launch this month that the company had “made science fiction reality,” but for many people, owning a Mate XT is still a pipe dream.
Speaking at Huawei's flagship store in Shanghai, Yu said sales had been “beyond our expectations” but gave no details. He added that the phones had sold out “in seconds” and that Huawei was working to expand production capacity.
More than 6.5 million preorders for the Mate XT have been placed, nearly double the roughly 3.9 million foldable smartphones shipped globally in the second quarter of this year, according to consulting firm IDC. A “preorder” doesn't require consumers to make a deposit. Huawei didn't say how many smartphones have been made so far, or how many customers will receive the Mate XT on launch day.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment on how many of the new iPhones would be available in China on Friday.
As of Friday afternoon, there were about 4,760 listings for sales and pre-orders for Huawei's new smartphones on Alibaba's Xianyou platform. The average price of a phone on the platform was 50,000 yuan ($7,089).
At Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei electronics market, a mobile phone shop worker said the most expensive Mate XT model with the highest memory capacity was being sold for 150,000 yuan ($21,290) instead of a retail price of 23,999 yuan, while a $2,800 model was being sold for more than $4,000.
Asked if she had sold any, she replied: “I've had a few people enquire, but it's just too expensive.”
Huawei is considering launching the phone in overseas markets in the first quarter of next year, according to people familiar with the matter.
Apple needs a Chinese AI partner
Apple has long enjoyed robust demand in China, where the launch of a new iPhone once sparked frenzy, but sales have fallen and the company's quarterly ranking in the world's second-largest economy has dropped from third to sixth.
The launch of Apple's new smartphones is overshadowed by the fact that it has yet to announce an AI partner in China for the 16s, and that its AI software, Apple Intelligence, will only be available in Chinese next year.
Some Apple fans said the AI challenge wasn't an issue.
“The lack of AI in the iPhone isn't a big concern for me right now. It's just a gimmick at this stage,” said a customer surnamed Shi, who upgrades his iPhone every year.
Regarding Huawei's new products, Shi said they are too expensive and “not for the average consumer.”
Huawei enjoys huge patriotic support in China, where fans are impressed with how the company has overcome years of U.S. export restrictions that initially crippled its smartphone business.
“Chinese people need to support (Huawei),” said Zhang, a 60-year-old business owner in Beijing. “Right now our Huawei phones are lagging behind in terms of technology and chips, and it's this gap that needs our support.”
The launch of the Mate XT, which analysts say is powered by a domestically made chipset, underscores Huawei's ability to weather U.S. sanctions, although its mass-production capabilities remain a major concern.
Lori Zhang, senior analyst at Isaiah Research, said that based on recent inspections, key components of the Huawei Mate XT, including the panel, cover glass and hinges, may be facing production yield issues.
