How Huawei is Leading the Charge in Innovation and Reliability

(MENAFN- mslgroup) About 5 years ago, the first mass-market foldable was introduced. It was expensive and came with many problems of a first-generation tech product to boot. Not surprisingly, there were recalls as some gremlins started showing up after the initial excitement wore off. But the foldables have seen a few more winters since then, and many of those early issues have been ironed out. We have seen a steady rise in foldable market share in recent years. However, the growth is slower than what many had initially anticipated.

As it turns out, consumers are still hesitant, questioning whether the higher price of a larger screen phone is worth the trade-offs in other key areas, like durability. So now, the challenge for smartphone brands will be to create a foldable that offers all the benefits of a foldable phone without any of the usual compromises. That’s where Huawei seems to be heading.

Huawei has been a major player in the foldable market as it continues to lead foldable smartphone innovation, capturing over a third of the global market share since 2020. In Q1 2024, Huawei achieved 35% of the global foldable smartphone market share, with an impressive 257% year-over-year growth, as reported by Counterpoint Research. In the first half of 2024, Huawei's foldable smartphones accounted for 42.7% of the market, ranking first in China, according to IDC.

Recently, Huawei made headlines with the launch of the world’s first tri-fold smartphone, the Huawei Mate XT, which has once again drawn global attention to the tech giant. While the Mate XT is not yet available outside of China, the company has released a more conventional book-style foldable, the HUAWEI Mate X6, in the global market.

Instead of relying on gimmicky features to grab attention, the Mate X6 focuses on perfecting the foldable design. Huawei has tackled durability concerns with innovative materials and clever engineering. The most expensive part of any large-screen foldable, like the Mate X6, is the inner display. To reinforce it, Huawei has added a carbon fibre plate, increasing its stiffness by 65%. This is paired with a middle frame made from aviation-grade aluminium. The outer screen is protected by second-gen Kunlun Glass, featuring a redesigned glass network structure.

The hinge has also been improved. Made from 100% Rocket Steel, it’s 27% stronger. The folding thickness is reduced by 12%, and the unfolded thickness by 14%, giving the Mate X6 a slimmer profile without sacrificing strength.

Foldable phone cameras have traditionally been a compromise, but the Mate X6 is an exception. It features a powerful camera system that rivals Huawei's flagship models. With 1.5 million spectral channels, it delivers a 120% improvement in colour accuracy. The camera also includes a macro telephoto lens, offering unprecedented versatility for foldable phone cameras. The 50MP main camera even comes with a 10-step adjustable physical aperture.

Huawei's big leap in the foldable market didn’t happen by chance. The company is one of the world’s top investors in R&D. Every year, Huawei dedicates more than 10% of its sales revenue to R&D. Over the past decade, this investment has surpassed CNY 1.11 trillion, meaning over CNY 100 billion is spent annually to drive innovation in products and technology. In 2023 alone, Huawei spent CNY 164.7 billion on R&D, which represents 23.4% of its total revenue.

According to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Huawei is ranked the 8th most innovative company globally and 5th on the 2023 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard. Thanks to this focus on innovation, Huawei now boasts one of the largest patent portfolios in the world.

The foldable phone market has come a long way since its shaky start, but its true potential remains a work in progress. Huawei’s approach shows a shift toward substance over spectacle. With a focus on innovation and refining the foldable experience, Huawei is offering a polished and reliable version of the technology—clearly a step in the right direction for the industry.

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