Apple Faces Tough Rivals as iPhone 16 Launch Clashes with Huawei’s Triple-Folding Mate XT

Apple is set to reveal its iPhone 16 with cutting-edge AI features but faces stiff competition from Huawei's Mate XT, a triple-folding smartphone. With over 3 million pre-orders, Huawei is challenging Apple’s dominance in China. The battle for AI integration in smartphones continues with Google also in the fray.

Apple on Monday will unveil its iPhone 16, showcasing its latest integration of artificial intelligence, but it could be overshadowed by Huawei's release of a triple-folding smartphone scheduled hours earlier. The Apple event at Apple Park headquarters begins at 10 a.m. PDT (1700 GMT).

Huawei, which has taken over 3 million pre-orders for its Z-shaped Mate XT, continues to counter U.S. sanctions and strengthen its position in the Chinese market, where consumers are increasingly eager for AI features and prepared to pay for them. According to Ben Bajarin, CEO at Creative Strategies, Apple may struggle to deliver its AI-driven devices quickly to China due to regulatory constraints and competition.

Apple announced its generative AI, Apple Intelligence, in June. However, these features require a software update expected in October and might arrive on voice assistant Siri early next year, pending approval from Beijing. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 series will integrate these AI features, albeit an incremental challenge against a backdrop of stagnant iPhone sales globally.

The competitive landscape includes not just Huawei but also Google's Android ecosystem. Google has pushed forward its AI endeavors and announced its Pixel smartphones with new AI features, seeking to disrupt Apple's supremacy in the high-end market. All eyes are on which brand can successfully integrate a personalized AI assistant.

(With inputs from agencies.)