Apple unveiled the device on Sept. 9 alongside its iPhone 18 Pro lineup, making the foldable model the centerpiece of the company’s latest product cycle. The launch also marked new Chief Executive John Ternus’ first major iPhone event after succeeding Tim Cook.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the United States, making it Apple’s most expensive iPhone. Preorders begin Oct. 16, with sales scheduled to start Oct. 23.

Apple enters a market shaped by rivals

The Duo arrives more than seven years after Samsung introduced its first Galaxy Fold, while Chinese manufacturers including Huawei have expanded the range of foldable devices available to consumers.

Apple is betting that its combination of hardware, software and services can make foldables attractive to a much broader audience. Analysts cited by Reuters expect the company’s entry to significantly increase the size of the market and potentially give Apple a large share of foldable-phone revenue.

Apple has emphasized that the Duo is designed not simply as a smaller tablet but as an iPhone that can change how users interact with applications.

When closed, the device has a 5.4-inch outer display. Opening it reveals a 7.6-inch inner display, Apple’s largest iPhone screen to date. The two displays use the same aspect ratio, allowing content to transition between them while supporting multitasking and different viewing positions.

Hardware is built around the foldable design

The Duo uses Apple’s A20 Pro chip and a custom vapor-chamber thermal system designed to sustain performance during gaming, multitasking and on-device artificial-intelligence workloads.

Apple says the chip uses a 2-nanometer manufacturing process and provides faster CPU and GPU performance than the previous generation, while its neural-engine improvements are intended to support more demanding AI processing directly on the phone.

The phone also uses a dual-battery architecture, with batteries positioned on either side of the folding device. Apple says the Duo can provide up to 24 hours of usage when both displays are used equally and can charge to 50% in about 20 minutes.

The device has a titanium frame and hinge cover and supports storage capacities ranging from 256GB to 2TB. It is also eSIM-only worldwide, according to Apple.

Apple emphasizes productivity and AI

The larger internal screen allows users to run applications side by side and use the device in orientations that are not available on conventional iPhones.

Apple demonstrated the Duo with productivity applications, video calls and multitasking features. The company is also integrating its latest AI capabilities into the device, including an updated Siri and Apple Intelligence functions designed to perform as much processing as possible on the phone itself.

Apple says tasks requiring additional computing power can use its Private Cloud Compute system, which it presents as a way to extend AI capabilities while maintaining privacy protections.

The Duo also introduces foldable-specific camera features. Its 48-megapixel dual-camera system can use the outer display as a preview screen for photographs, while the device’s folding form allows users to position the phone for hands-free photography and video calls.

Price could limit the market

The biggest obstacle may be cost.

At $1,999, the Duo is positioned well above Apple’s mainstream iPhone models and roughly at the premium end of the foldable market. Reuters reported that the starting price is about $100 higher than comparable Samsung and Google foldable models.

That price places Apple in a market that remains relatively small compared with conventional smartphones. Foldables account for less than 5% of global smartphone sales, according to figures cited by the Associated Press.

Apple therefore needs to persuade existing iPhone users that the additional cost provides enough practical value to justify moving to a fundamentally different form factor.

The company is also entering the market after competitors have already gained experience with hinge durability, display technology, multitasking software and consumer expectations around foldable phones.

Apple raises the stakes for smartphone makers

The launch nevertheless changes the competitive landscape.

Samsung has spent years building its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip lines, while Chinese companies have pushed foldable hardware toward thinner designs and increasingly sophisticated displays. Apple’s arrival gives the category access to one of the world’s largest smartphone ecosystems and could pressure competitors to accelerate their own hardware and software development.

The broader iPhone launch also reflects Apple’s attempt to increase the value of its premium devices as smartphone growth matures.

The company raised the starting prices of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max by $100, to $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, while adding upgraded cameras and the A20 Pro chip.

The strategy places Apple’s latest products at progressively higher price points while emphasizing AI, performance and new device formats as reasons for customers to upgrade.

The iPhone Duo’s success will ultimately depend on whether consumers see the foldable design as more than a novelty. If Apple can turn the form factor into a mainstream iPhone experience, its entry could accelerate adoption across the smartphone industry. If demand remains concentrated among premium buyers, foldables may continue to occupy a specialized segment despite Apple’s arrival.

Reporting Credit: Apple — product specifications, pricing, availability and technology features; — market context and competitive landscape;  — foldable smartphone market context.

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The trial, which began this week after nearly eight years of legal proceedings, places one of China’s most important technology companies at the center of a major U.S. prosecution with implications for intellectual property, export controls and Washington’s broader technology conflict with Beijing.

U.S. prosecutors told jurors in opening statements that Huawei engaged in a pattern of criminal conduct spanning roughly two decades. They allege the company and related entities sought confidential technology from American competitors and used the resulting information to strengthen Huawei’s global telecommunications business.

The government’s case includes allegations involving Cisco Systems, T-Mobile and other U.S. technology companies. Prosecutors say the allegedly misappropriated material included router source code, cellular technology and robotics-related technology.

Prosecutors portray a long-running corporate strategy

The case is built around a superseding indictment filed in 2020 that charged Huawei and several subsidiaries with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to steal trade secrets, alongside fraud, sanctions and obstruction-related offenses.

According to the Justice Department, Huawei allegedly used a range of methods to obtain proprietary technology, including recruiting employees from competitors, violating confidentiality agreements and using intermediaries to obtain information. Prosecutors also alleged that Huawei established incentives for employees who obtained valuable confidential material from competitors.

The government further alleges that Huawei and affiliated entities conducted business connected to countries under U.S. sanctions, including Iran and North Korea, while concealing aspects of those activities from financial institutions and U.S. authorities.

One major component involves Skycom, a company that U.S. prosecutors alleged was controlled by Huawei and used in connection with its Iranian operations. The government has said Huawei misrepresented its relationship with Skycom and the nature of its Iranian business to financial institutions.

The racketeering allegations encompass conduct that prosecutors say generated or supported commercial benefits for Huawei. The indictment alleges that proceeds associated with the alleged activity were reinvested into the company’s wider operations.

Huawei rejects the government’s characterization

Huawei’s defense has presented the case very differently.

Defense lawyers told jurors that the company’s growth resulted from engineering, investment and competition rather than a coordinated criminal enterprise. They argued that prosecutors are presenting isolated actions by individual employees as evidence of a companywide conspiracy.

The defense has also challenged the government’s reliance on incidents involving rival technology companies, arguing that employees responsible for improper conduct were disciplined and that such episodes do not establish a corporate policy to steal technology.

Huawei has previously denied the allegations and maintained that innovation and respect for intellectual property were central to its business. Its lawyers have also challenged the breadth of the U.S. prosecution and sought to exclude evidence gathered during the government’s investigation. A federal judge rejected a Huawei motion to suppress several pieces of evidence in June 2026.

The Iran allegations remain central to the case

The prosecution also reaches beyond intellectual property.

In 2021, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou entered a deferred prosecution agreement with U.S. authorities and admitted to making material misrepresentations to a financial institution concerning Huawei’s operations in Iran. The agreement resolved the criminal charges against Meng while allowing the government’s case against Huawei to continue.

The U.S. government alleged that Huawei concealed its relationship with Skycom and that transactions connected to Huawei’s Iranian business passed through the U.S. financial system.

Meng’s admissions are expected to form part of the evidence presented against Huawei, although she is not a defendant at the current trial.

The original case also became a major diplomatic dispute after Meng was arrested in Canada in 2018 on a U.S. extradition request. She returned to China in 2021 after the deferred prosecution agreement, while the United States withdrew its extradition request.

A case with broader technology implications

The Huawei prosecution comes as Washington and Beijing remain locked in a wider contest over advanced technology, trade and national security.

Huawei has been subjected to extensive U.S. export restrictions, limiting its access to American technology and components. Those restrictions have contributed to the company’s shift toward domestic semiconductor development and other technologies, including chips used in artificial intelligence applications.

The trial therefore goes beyond the individual allegations against Huawei. A conviction could reinforce the U.S. government’s broader argument that technology theft, sanctions evasion and the misuse of international financial systems represent interconnected national-security risks.

At the same time, the defense’s success in persuading jurors that the prosecution has assembled unrelated incidents into a single conspiracy could have significant implications for the government’s ability to pursue similarly broad cases against multinational technology companies.

The trial is expected to last about three months. Huawei remains presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

Reporting Credit: U.S. Department of Justice, Eastern District of New York — criminal charges, superseding indictment and prosecution history; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York – current trial proceedings and courtroom developments.

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Huawei unveiled the Mate XT2, its latest tri-fold smartphone, while Xiaomi introduced the Xiaomi 18 Fold on September 7. Huawei is continuing with a two-hinge design intended to expand a smartphone into a substantially larger display, whereas Xiaomi has chosen a conventional book-style foldable architecture.

The launches add another layer to competition in China’s premium smartphone market, where manufacturers are using increasingly differentiated hardware and internally developed technologies to compete for high-end consumers.

Huawei Extends Its Tri-Fold Architecture

Huawei’s Mate XT2 builds on the company’s existing tri-fold approach, using two folding mechanisms to expand the device into a larger-screen format.

The previous Mate XT featured a fully opened display measuring 10.2 inches diagonally. Huawei’s new generation retains the basic architecture while introducing updated hardware and structural changes.

The Mate XT2 is powered by Huawei’s Kirin 9050 Pro processor and uses a LogicFolding architecture that the company says is designed to improve performance and efficiency. Huawei has also emphasized durability and privacy features as part of its effort to develop the more complex folding format for everyday use.

Launch information places the Mate XT2 at 19,999 yuan for the entry configuration, rising to 24,999 yuan for the highest configuration. Sales are scheduled to begin September 12.

The pricing puts the device firmly into the luxury segment and distinguishes Huawei’s tri-fold strategy from more conventionally priced premium smartphones.

Xiaomi Chooses the Book-Style Foldable

Xiaomi is taking a different route with the Xiaomi 18 Fold, which opens from a phone-sized exterior into a larger internal display.

The company has positioned the model as a premium flagship and highlighted its internally developed XRING O3 processor. Xiaomi’s official launch material describes the 18 Fold as its first flagship smartphone powered by the next-generation chip.

The device also features a Leica-branded camera system, extending Xiaomi’s use of imaging technology as a component of its premium smartphone strategy.

Pricing starts at 10,999 yuan and reaches 14,999 yuan for the highest configuration. That makes the Xiaomi considerably less expensive than Huawei’s Mate XT2, although both remain positioned above conventional flagship smartphones.

The difference in architecture and pricing gives the companies distinct propositions within the same premium foldable market.

Proprietary Technology Becomes Part of the Competition

The launches highlight a broader shift in how China’s leading smartphone manufacturers are approaching flagship hardware.

Huawei has developed alternatives to technologies and components affected by U.S. restrictions, while Xiaomi has invested in proprietary semiconductor technology of its own. As a result, processors and other internally developed technologies increasingly form part of broader product strategies rather than serving simply as individual hardware components.

That approach can give manufacturers greater control over product development while reducing dependence on external suppliers. It also makes the smartphone itself a showcase for capabilities spanning semiconductors, software, displays, imaging and artificial intelligence.

The two foldables therefore represent more than competing form factors. They also illustrate how Chinese smartphone companies are integrating internally developed technologies into high-end consumer devices.

Foldable Design Becomes a Premium Differentiator

Foldable smartphones remain a smaller segment of the overall mobile-phone market, but the category has become an important area for differentiation among manufacturers competing at the premium end.

The underlying proposition is to provide a substantially larger display without requiring users to carry a conventional tablet-sized device. For manufacturers, folding hardware also creates opportunities to distinguish flagship products as conventional smartphone designs become increasingly mature.

Huawei’s continued investment in a tri-fold configuration indicates an effort to move beyond the two-panel designs more commonly associated with foldable phones.

Xiaomi’s 18 Fold takes a less complicated structural approach while competing through other premium technologies, including its processor platform and Leica-branded imaging system.

A Wide Price Gap Reflects Different Strategies

The two launches also demonstrate how differently manufacturers are positioning foldable technology.

Huawei’s Mate XT2 starts at nearly 20,000 yuan, while Xiaomi’s 18 Fold begins at 10,999 yuan. The gap gives Xiaomi a lower-priced entry point into the premium foldable segment, while Huawei is positioning its tri-fold architecture as a significantly more expensive technology proposition.

A central question for Huawei’s approach is whether consumers will consider the additional folding section and resulting display flexibility worth the substantial price premium.

The answer will depend on practical factors including durability, software support, battery life and everyday usability, as well as the perceived value of the larger display.

Competition Extends Beyond China’s Domestic Market

The launches come during a busy period for the global smartphone industry. Apple is expected to unveil new products on September 9, immediately following the Huawei and Xiaomi announcements.

For Chinese manufacturers, competition therefore extends beyond the domestic market and includes global companies with established brands and large technology ecosystems.

The increasingly differentiated hardware strategies of Huawei and Xiaomi are part of that wider competition. Their latest foldables show how premium smartphone manufacturers can pursue different combinations of industrial design, semiconductor development, imaging and display technology.

Domestic Semiconductor Development Gains Importance

The Xiaomi 18 Fold’s use of the XRING O3 also highlights the growing role of domestic semiconductor development in China’s consumer electronics sector.

Xiaomi’s investment in its own processor technology gives the company another internally controlled component for its flagship devices. Huawei, meanwhile, continues developing proprietary hardware technologies while operating under restrictions that affect its access to some advanced foreign components.

The implications extend beyond smartphones. Greater reliance on domestically developed processors and other technologies connects consumer electronics competition with China’s broader development of semiconductor, artificial-intelligence and advanced manufacturing capabilities.

For the smartphone industry, the result is a competitive environment in which the architecture of the device and the technologies inside it are increasingly linked to wider corporate technology strategies.

Two Paths for the Next Foldable Generation

Huawei and Xiaomi are entering the latest phase of the Chinese foldable market with markedly different designs.

Huawei is using a tri-fold architecture to pursue a larger display within a smartphone-oriented form factor. Xiaomi is retaining the more established book-style configuration while emphasizing its own processor technology and premium imaging system.

Their launches leave consumers with two different approaches to high-end foldable hardware—and manufacturers with a continuing test of how much complexity, cost and proprietary technology the market is willing to support.

For China’s smartphone industry, the significance extends beyond the two devices. The launches show that competition at the premium end is increasingly being fought through proprietary semiconductor technology, industrial design and integrated hardware ecosystems as well as conventional smartphone specifications.

Reporting Credit: Huawei — official Mate XT2 product and launch information; Xiaomi — official September 7, 2026 announcement for the Xiaomi 18 Fold and XRING O3 platform; Xiaomi Community — official Xiaomi 18 Fold product information, including the Leica camera configuration; Huawei and Xiaomi — official corporate and product materials concerning their respective proprietary technologies.

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The shift underscores a broader strategic realignment in the global AI industry, where access to advanced computing hardware has become central to technological competitiveness. While Nvidia remains the world’s leading AI chip designer, its ability to compete in China has been constrained by U.S. export controls, creating opportunities for Chinese manufacturers to capture market share.

Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang acknowledged the company’s changing position during a recent interview with The Associated Press, saying the company once controlled approximately 95% of China’s AI chip market before U.S. export restrictions significantly limited its business.

“We have to have, number one, make sure that we have national security and that we protect our nation, but we also simultaneously should go and compete and grow our technology industry and maximize our exports,” Huang said.

His comments came after a visit to Beijing in May, where he attracted significant public attention while the United States and China continued discussions on trade and technology issues. Although U.S. President Donald Trump later agreed to permit sales of Nvidia’s H200 AI chips, Chinese policymakers had already intensified efforts to promote domestically designed alternatives.

Huawei emerges as China’s leading AI chip competitor

Since Washington imposed restrictions beginning in 2019 on Huawei and later expanded controls covering China’s access to advanced semiconductors and chipmaking equipment, Chinese companies have accelerated investments in domestic semiconductor development.

Huawei has emerged as the leading beneficiary of that policy shift.

According to research from Bernstein, Nvidia held roughly 40% of China’s AI chip market during 2025, about equal to Huawei’s share. The research firm projects Huawei’s market share could climb to around 50% this year, while Nvidia’s could decline to approximately 8%.

Antonia Hmaidi, a semiconductor specialist at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, said Huawei has become the dominant domestic supplier.

“Nvidia has definitely lost significant ground to Huawei, which now leads domestically,” she said.

Industry analysts say Huawei’s latest commercial AI processors in its Ascend 950 series are broadly comparable in some respects to Nvidia’s H200 chips, although Nvidia continues to lead in cutting-edge AI hardware.

He Hui, director of semiconductor research at Omdia, said China’s confidence in domestic chip development has grown significantly.

“China now believes in its own self-sufficiency and supply capabilities,” He said.

Huawei has also expanded its AI computing infrastructure by deploying large computing clusters powered by thousands of its own processors despite relying on domestically manufactured semiconductors because of continuing export restrictions.

Asked recently how Huawei’s chip technology compares with international competitors, He Tingbo, who heads Huawei’s semiconductor business, said the company has found “pretty good solutions.”

“Who can walk faster? Huawei or other companies? I don’t know the answer,” she said. “I think only time will tell.”

Nvidia remains critical for advanced AI development

Despite Huawei’s rapid progress, analysts say Nvidia’s technology continues to play a vital role in China’s AI ecosystem.

The semiconductor industry remains deeply interconnected globally. Nvidia designs its processors using technology that depends on advanced extreme ultraviolet lithography machines produced by Dutch company ASML, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. manufactures many of Nvidia’s most advanced chips.

China remains prohibited from purchasing Nvidia’s highest-end AI processors as well as ASML’s most advanced chipmaking equipment under U.S. export controls.

Industry observers note that Huawei’s latest processors still trail Nvidia’s most advanced offerings in several technical areas, particularly for training large AI models.

Chinese AI developers, including DeepSeek, continue to rely on Nvidia hardware for some advanced workloads, while universities and major technology companies also seek access to chips such as the H200 for research and development.

Recent cases involving the alleged smuggling of Nvidia AI chips into China further illustrate continuing demand for the company’s technology despite export restrictions.

AI demand continues to drive Nvidia’s global growth

Although China has become a more difficult market, Nvidia’s worldwide business continues to expand rapidly as investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure accelerates.

The company expects revenue of approximately $91 billion during its May-to-July quarter, excluding any China data-center computing revenue, compared with nearly $82 billion in the previous quarter.

Nvidia generated nearly $216 billion in annual revenue during its latest fiscal year, while Huawei reported approximately $126 billion in revenue over a comparable period.

Nvidia developed its H20 processor specifically to comply with U.S. export restrictions by reducing computing performance. However, shipments into China have gradually declined, according to Brady Wang, a semiconductor analyst at Counterpoint Research.

Huang also told shareholders recently that Nvidia has not yet generated revenue from H200 chip sales in China and remains uncertain whether imports will ultimately receive approval.

Huawei expands long-term global ambitions

Huawei’s ambitions extend beyond China’s domestic market.

Already the world’s largest supplier of telecommunications networking equipment, the company says it operates across 170 countries and regions while pursuing broader digital infrastructure expansion.

Analysts say China’s current manufacturing capacity for advanced chips remains insufficient to fully satisfy domestic demand, limiting exports in the near term.

However, as manufacturing capacity improves and pricing becomes increasingly competitive, Chinese AI chips could become more attractive in overseas markets, particularly across Southeast Asia.

Counterpoint Research analyst Brady Wang said China’s broader strategy is unlikely to change regardless of whether Nvidia eventually regains broader access to the Chinese market.

“China’s strategy of pursuing technological self-sufficiency — and eventually exporting its technologies — is unlikely to change regardless of whether Nvidia can sell its chips in China,” Wang said.

Tags: Nvidia, Huawei, Artificial Intelligence, China, Semiconductors, AI Chips, Export Controls, DeepSeek, Technology, Corporate Strategy

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Taipei, Taiwan — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has sharply criticized U.S. restrictions on exporting advanced computing chips to China, calling the policy a “failure” that is hurting American businesses more than its intended targets.

Speaking at the annual Computex tech conference in Taipei, Huang didn’t mince words when describing the fallout from U.S. export controls. “The fundamental assumptions that led to the AI diffusion rule in the beginning have been proven to be fundamentally flawed,” Huang told reporters.

Nvidia’s Market Share in China Cut in Half

Huang pointed to the dramatic drop in Nvidia’s market share in China as a direct consequence of these restrictions. Once commanding 95% of the Chinese market for advanced chips, Nvidia now holds just 50%. The CEO said that rather than slowing China’s tech ambitions, U.S. policies have fueled a push for self-reliance, with Chinese companies ramping up investment in domestic semiconductor development.

U.S. Policy Shift Sparks Debate

The criticism comes just days after the Trump administration announced it would scrap some of the Biden-era rules that had imposed blanket bans on exports to China. While that move is expected to open the door for new AI deals with countries like Saudi Arabia—deals Nvidia is already eyeing—it also comes with tighter restrictions elsewhere.

Under the revised strategy, the U.S. will still restrict advanced technology exports to dozens of entities, most of them based in China. This includes new licensing rules for specific Nvidia chips and warnings to U.S. firms about using Chinese-made components from companies like Huawei.

Tech vs. National Security: A Growing Divide

Huang’s remarks tap into a broader debate in Washington: how to balance national security with economic competitiveness. Both the Trump and Biden administrations have cited military risks in justifying tech export controls. However, many in the business community argue these rules often end up isolating U.S. companies and encouraging global buyers to look elsewhere.

While former President Trump has championed aggressive trade measures, including sweeping tariffs, he has shown more flexibility with the tech industry—particularly as it played a key role in backing his reelection campaign.

During a recent Middle East tour, Trump touted the loosening of chip export restrictions as a win for American innovation, positioning companies like Nvidia to strike lucrative international deals.

Beijing Fires Back

The U.S. moves have not gone unnoticed in China. In response to the latest crackdown, Beijing accused Washington of violating the trade framework both sides had tentatively agreed upon during negotiations in Switzerland earlier this month.

Chinese officials argue that America’s shifting rules are undermining trust and further destabilizing global tech supply chains.

Bottom Line:

Jensen Huang’s blunt assessment underscores growing frustration in Silicon Valley over how U.S. chip policies are being handled. As global tech competition heats up, the battle over who controls the future of semiconductors is far from over—and American firms may be caught in the middle.

Source: BBC – Nvidia boss calls US chip policy a ‘failure’

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