The smartphone market is entering a busy September, with Huawei and Xiaomi preparing major new launches just days before Apple is expected to enter the foldable-phone market.
Huawei is set to introduce a new tri-fold phone, while Xiaomi is launching the Xiaomi 18 Fold. Apple is expected to reveal its first foldable iPhone on September 9, putting three major Chinese and US smartphone makers in direct competition for attention in the premium phone market.
Huawei and Xiaomi are moving quickly
Huawei and Xiaomi are making their moves just as Apple prepares for its September event. The timing is important because foldable phones are becoming a major part of the premium smartphone market.
Huawei is expected to unveil the Mate XT 2, a new tri-fold device. Xiaomi has already revealed the Xiaomi 18 Fold ahead of its September 7 launch in China.
Xiaomi’s new foldable uses a wider design than many traditional book-style foldables. The company has confirmed a 5.38-inch outer display and a 7.58-inch inner display, along with three rear cameras and its XRing O3 processor.
The result is a very different kind of competition from the usual yearly flagship race. Instead of only comparing cameras, processors, and battery sizes, phone makers are now competing over how a smartphone can change shape and offer a larger screen without becoming difficult to carry.
Huawei’s new tri-fold phone takes a different approach
Huawei is expected to use a tri-fold design for its next major foldable. Instead of opening like a traditional book-style foldable, a tri-fold phone uses additional folding sections to create a larger display from a device that can still be carried like a phone.
The Mate XT 2 is expected to be one of Huawei’s biggest hardware launches of the month. The company is entering the same conversation as Apple at a time when the foldable category is gaining more attention from consumers and phone makers.
Huawei has already built experience with multi-fold devices, giving it an advantage in a category where Apple is reportedly preparing its first entry.
The new Huawei device and Xiaomi’s wide foldable also show that Android manufacturers are not waiting for Apple to define the next stage of the market. They are continuing to experiment with different shapes and screen sizes.
Xiaomi 18 Fold arrives just before Apple
Xiaomi is taking an especially direct position in the race. The Xiaomi 18 Fold is scheduled to launch in China on September 7, only two days before Apple’s September 9 event.
The phone has already been shown publicly, giving consumers an early look at Xiaomi’s approach to the wider foldable design. It includes a 5.38-inch cover screen and a 7.58-inch folding screen, with a triple-camera system on the back.
Xiaomi is also using its own XRing O3 chip. The processor is part of the company’s broader push to develop more of its smartphone technology in-house.
The timing gives Xiaomi a chance to establish its foldable before Apple officially enters the category.
Apple’s foldable iPhone could change the competition
Apple’s expected foldable iPhone is the biggest reason this year’s September launches have attracted so much attention.
Apple is expected to reveal the device on September 9. It is widely rumored to be a premium book-style foldable and could carry the iPhone Ultra name, although Apple has not officially confirmed the product name.
The expected arrival of Apple’s foldable could bring more attention to the entire category. Apple has a large installed base of iPhone users, and many of those customers have never owned a foldable iPhone because one has not existed.
The reported price is also much higher than that of a regular iPhone. Current reports suggest the foldable could cost more than $2,000, although the final price will not be known until Apple makes its announcement.
Three different approaches to the foldable market
| Company | Expected device | Main design idea | Launch timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huawei | Mate XT 2 | Tri-fold design | September 2026 |
| Xiaomi | Xiaomi 18 Fold | Wide foldable design | September 7, 2026, in China |
| Apple | First foldable iPhone | Book-style foldable design | Expected September 9, 2026 |
The three companies are not taking exactly the same approach. Huawei is focusing on a tri-fold design, Xiaomi is using a wide-screen foldable, and Apple is expected to enter with a more traditional book-style design.
That difference could make the next few weeks particularly interesting for buyers. Consumers will be able to compare different ideas about what a premium foldable phone should look and feel like.
The flagship smartphone race is getting crowded
Foldables are only part of the larger smartphone launch rush taking place this month.
Several major companies are preparing new high-end phones, including Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo, Honor and Oppo. The September launch calendar is unusually packed, with new processors and camera systems also expected to feature heavily in the competition.
For phone makers, premium models are becoming increasingly important. The wider smartphone market is facing pressure, making expensive flagship phones and foldables an attractive way for companies to compete for customers who are willing to spend more.
This helps explain why so many companies are putting their biggest technology into high-end phones instead of competing only on lower prices.
What buyers should watch for
The most important differences between these phones will go beyond the number of screens or how many times a device folds.
Buyers should pay attention to:
- How thin and comfortable each phone is when folded
- How useful the larger internal display is for everyday tasks
- Camera quality and the amount of space used by the folding hardware
- Battery life, charging speed, software support and repair options
Durability will also remain an important issue. A foldable phone has more moving parts and a flexible display, so the quality of the hinge and screen will matter just as much as raw processor speed.
Why Apple’s entry matters so much
Apple is arriving relatively late to the foldable market, but that may not necessarily be a disadvantage.
Companies such as Huawei and Xiaomi have already had time to experiment with foldable designs. Apple can study what has worked and what has caused problems before releasing its own product.
The challenge will be convincing buyers to pay a premium price for a new form factor. A foldable iPhone will need to offer more than a large screen. It will need to provide a clear reason for existing iPhone owners to move away from a standard model.
The timing also puts Apple in an unusual position. Rather than entering an empty market, it is arriving as Chinese manufacturers are introducing increasingly advanced foldable designs of their own.
A new battle for premium smartphone buyers
September 2026 could become an important moment for the foldable-phone market. Huawei is pushing its tri-fold design, Xiaomi is introducing a wide foldable, and Apple is preparing to show what could be its first foldable iPhone.
The competition will not be decided by specifications alone. Design, durability, software, cameras, battery life and price will all play a role.
For consumers, the growing competition is good news. More companies are now trying different ideas, giving buyers more choices than they had when foldable phones first appeared.
The bigger question is whether Apple’s arrival will turn foldable phones from an expensive niche product into a much more common part of the premium smartphone market. With Huawei and Xiaomi launching new devices just before Apple’s expected debut, that battle is about to become much more interesting.