Apple's first foldable iPhone may have accidentally helped Huawei

Apple's entry into the foldable smartphone market was expected to put pressure on companies that already have years of experience building foldable phones. Instead, early sales data suggests something rather unexpected: Huawei's Pura X Max appears to be benefiting from the arrival of Apple's iPhone Duo.

According to reports citing industry sources, Huawei's Pura X Max recorded a 76.5% increase in sales between September 10 and September 13 compared with the same four-day period a week earlier. The figures have not been independently verified by Huawei, so they should be treated as reported sales data rather than official company figures. citeturn0search1turn0search2

Why would an iPhone launch boost a Huawei phone?

The answer may be surprisingly simple: Apple has put foldable phones in front of a much larger audience.

For years, foldables have remained a relatively small part of the smartphone market. Samsung, Huawei and several Chinese manufacturers have been developing the category while Apple stayed out of it. With the iPhone Duo, Apple has suddenly given millions of consumers a reason to seriously consider a foldable phone for the first time.

Some buyers who were waiting to see what Apple's first foldable would offer may now be comparing it directly with existing alternatives such as the Pura X Max.

Huawei's Pura X Max was already performing strongly

The sales jump isn't happening around an unknown product. Huawei launched the Pura X Max in April as a wide-format foldable, with a starting price of 10,999 yuan. The phone features a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.7-inch internal display, along with Huawei's Kirin 9030 Pro processor. citeturn0search2turn0search7

Huawei previously announced that the Pura X Max had surpassed 1.2 million units in shipments within four months of its launch, showing that the device had already established a strong position in China's growing foldable market before Apple's entry. citeturn0search2

The price difference could also matter

Price is another obvious factor.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the United States, with higher-capacity versions reaching $3,199. Huawei's Pura X Max starts at 10,999 yuan in China, while its different configurations range up to 13,999 yuan. citeturn0news23turn0search2

That doesn't make the two phones direct equivalents in every respect, but it gives consumers another reason to compare them. Someone interested in the new wide-foldable form factor may look at Apple's premium offering and then consider whether an established Huawei model provides better value for their needs.

Apple's entry could actually grow the whole market

This may be the most interesting part of the story.

Apple entering a product category often brings enormous attention to that category. The company doesn't necessarily need to dominate immediately for competitors to benefit. Its marketing reach alone can introduce millions of people to technologies they previously ignored.

The foldable market could therefore become a bigger battlefield rather than simply a two-company fight between Apple and Huawei.

Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and other manufacturers now have an even bigger reason to improve their designs, displays, software and durability as consumers become more familiar with foldable phones.

But the 76.5% figure needs some context

A percentage increase can sound dramatic without telling the whole story. The reported 76.5% growth compares four days with the same four days from the previous week; it does not mean Huawei sold 76.5% more phones than Apple or that the Pura X Max has suddenly overtaken the iPhone Duo.

The figure also comes from industry-source reporting rather than a detailed public sales report from Huawei. citeturn0search1

Still, the timing is hard to ignore. The increase happened immediately after Apple's first foldable iPhone reached the market, making the development particularly interesting for the smartphone industry.

Apple may have created a new opportunity for Huawei

The smartphone market is often described as a zero-sum competition where one company's success means another company's loss.

The early Pura X Max numbers suggest that isn't always the case.

Apple may have done something Huawei couldn't easily achieve on its own: make foldable phones a mainstream conversation.

If consumers who previously ignored foldables are now comparing the iPhone Duo with Huawei's Pura X Max, Samsung's latest models and other competitors, the entire category could benefit.

For Huawei, that would be an unexpected outcome from Apple's biggest smartphone launch of the year.

And the foldable race is only getting started.

Apple may have entered the foldable market to challenge Huawei and Samsung—but its biggest impact could be making consumers want foldable phones in the first place.