Xiaomi and Huawei have launched new foldable devices timed to reach the market ahead of an Apple event where the company is rumored to unveil its first foldable iPhone. The two Chinese manufacturers are moving to establish ground in the foldable segment before Apple has a chance to reset consumer expectations for the category.
The foldable phone has been largely a Chinese hardware story. Xiaomi and Huawei have both shipped products in the form factor while Apple has stayed out. That changes, at least potentially, with the Apple event now approaching.
Getting devices to market before Apple announces carries weight in a category where timing shapes perception. A product already on shelves competes differently than one announced the same week as a new Apple launch. Whether that calculation pays off depends on what Apple actually shows.
Apple has not confirmed a foldable iPhone. The device is rumored, and the rumor alone appears to have been enough to set both Xiaomi and Huawei's release timelines.