Apple’s iPhone 16 launch occasion falls on a Monday (September ninth) this 12 months, which is a primary for the iPhone. Apple routinely holds its mid-September iPhone keynotes on the primary Tuesday or Wednesday after Labor Day. This 12 months’s occasion was anticipated for September tenth, however Apple in all probability moved it to September ninth to keep away from subsequent Tuesday’s presidential debate.
That’s the factor about iPhone launch occasions. They’re a very powerful attraction in tech yearly in September. Most rivals keep away from sharing the highlight with the iPhone. However this 12 months will probably be completely different as a result of one Chinese language smartphone vendor is able to problem Apple by internet hosting a product launch on the identical day.
Huawei gained’t simply launch a standard smartphone to tackle the iPhone 16. It’ll unveil the world’s first commercially out there tri-fold smartphone.
We noticed a special tri-fold idea just some days in the past. Tecno unveiled the Phantom Final 2 tri-fold cellphone final week. The handset options two hinges and three show sections. When unfolded, the cellphone turns into a 10-inch pill. When folded, the Phantom Final 2 is thinner than the Galaxy Fold 6 that Samsung launched in mid-July.
The issue with the Phantom Final 2 is that it’s only a idea. It’d work as Tecno says it does, nevertheless it gained’t be offered wherever on the planet, not even in China.
I advised you on the time that Huawei and Xiaomi are each rumored to unveil business tri-fold foldabels within the close to future. Huawei’s cellphone appeared in leaked photographs a number of weeks in the past. Somebody noticed Huawei Chairman Richard Yu utilizing a tri-fold foldable just a few weeks in the past. This might solely be Huawei’s cellphone.
Quick-forward to early September, and well-known leaker Ice Universe shared on-line an invitation for a Huawei press occasion set to happen on September tenth in China at 2:30 PM native time. As the next teaser reveals, we’re in all probability taking a look at Huawei’s tri-fold handset. The leaker says as a lot, noting that the foldable will probably be unveiled similtaneously the iPhone 16 sequence.
Apple’s iPhone 16 launch occasion is on September ninth at 10:00 AM PST. Contemplating the 15-hour distinction between California and China, the occasion will stream reside in China within the early hours of September tenth. Put in a different way, Huawei’s tri-fold foldable launch occasion will occur within the late hours of September ninth in California.
Irrespective of the way you take a look at it, it’s clear that Huawei and Apple will unveil new units on the identical day, even when a number of hours aside.
The tri-fold handset is not going to be an actual iPhone 16 rival. It’ll be a distinct segment system that’s focusing on an much more restricted market than conventional foldables. Rumors say the handset would possibly price round $4,000. Contemplating the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Professional Fold price nearly $2,000 with tax, a tri-fold system can’t be low-cost.
Nevertheless, that is extra of a publicity stunt from Huawei. A sign that the Chinese language firm is able to compete in opposition to the world’s greatest smartphone distributors, together with Apple.
Huawei’s cell division took an enormous hit following the US sanctions just a few years in the past. It took the corporate a number of years to recuperate, however Huawei has been doing effectively in China not too long ago. Whereas Huawei’s press occasion primarily targets Apple, it additionally sends a message to Samsung and different foldable distributors.
Huawei’s common foldable telephones have been promoting higher than Samsung’s foldables in China to this point this 12 months. The Korean large doesn’t have a tri-fold foldable of its personal, nevertheless it’s about to unveil a thinner model of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which can goal Korea and China. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim ought to be unveiled in late September.
Huwei’s tri-fold cellphone has an even bigger downside than the worth with regards to a world launch. Following the sanctions, Huawei telephones ship with out Google’s model of Android. Whereas that’s not a difficulty for patrons in China, it’s definitely annoying for worldwide Android customers who is likely to be enthusiastic about an costly tri-fold foldable cellphone.
