Huawei Technologies Co. unveiled the Mate XT 2 Ultimate Design in Guangzhou on September 7, days before Apple Inc. was expected to enter the foldable-phone category. Huawei’s third-generation tri-fold device starts at CNY 19,999, or about $3,000, with sales scheduled for 10:08 a.m. on September 12. The phone uses Huawei’s Kirin 9050 Pro, the company’s first new Kirin flagship processor in six years, and introduces the LogicFolding chip design philosophy. Xiaomi Corp. is also preparing its 18 Fold, which will use memory from CXMT Corp., Xiaomi’s Xring O3 processor and a passport-like design similar to the foldable iPhone Apple is expected to introduce. Ahead of Huawei’s sale, resellers offered in-stock units, futures reservations and proxy purchases requiring buyers to disclose e-commerce accounts and phone verification codes. PDD Holdings and cybersecurity expert Pei Zhiyong warned that these arrangements could expose personal information, trigger account blacklisting and fail to improve purchase odds. The launch underscores Chinese manufacturers’ effort to move toward premium devices as the broader smartphone market contracts, component costs rise and foldables remain comparatively resilient.