Huawei Aims to Upstage Sep 9 Apple Event With Tri-Fold Phone Debut

[heretiq]

There was a time not too long ago when Apple clung to 3.5" and then 4" as "perfect" phone sizes in which someone might have posted...



And then Apple went phablet and I'd ask ALL of the people who ever bashed phablet-sizes before Apple embraced them: what's in your pocket?

At some point, I suspect Apple rolls out a fold/roll/other phone. Why do I think the reaction will be much like how quickly "we" flipped from detesting phablets to loving them... from seeing no point of phablet sizes to ridiculing "how did we ever get by with those puny screens"... etc. I'm still looking for all these people wearing pants with bigger pockets or carrying man purses... and WOW: how those one hands must have magically grown for the all-important one handed use (at the time).

The point: before Apple embraces a new thing, we seem to hate it and have a file of reasons why whatever it is makes no sense at all. And then Apple goes there and our opinions seem to flip overnight. Are hybrid phones/tablets in ONE device really as bad as is always written in every thread about them... or will we feel completely different about them once Apple offers one? TBD (but I would be heavily on one answer).

The phone in my pocket is an iPhone 13 mini — because it is iOS, fits comfortably in my pocket and can be used with one hand. If I need anything bigger I use my 13” iPad Pro or 16” MacBook Pro with 32” external monitor. I will never use a phablet from Apple or anyone else because huge phones are unappealing to me. Accordingly, the iPhone 13 mini will be my last phone (will replace with Apple Watch) if Apple discontinues small form factor phones.

Net-net: I believe most people have rational reasons for their device choices even if those choices and reasons are different than mine.

 

[iMac The Knife]

A "while" ?

The Honor Magic V3 looks like perhaps the only phone that meets some of my criteria, yet it is still only available in China as of today and is going to be released elsewhere this week.


Cool, technology is getting there slowly.
Someday Apple will be able to fuse an iPhone with an iPad, then it might become interesting.
But right now, I'm still not interested.

In the end, Honor is a company with a short track record.
Its parent company Huawei is a company I completely distrust.
They're using Android.
But they're not using stock Android, which means you'll have to wait before Huawei and/or Honor "customizes it" into MagicOS until you can benefit.
Which also means we don't know if it'll be supported for 7 years like what Apple does generally (like my iPhone XR which is currently running iOS 18).
Its processor is currently quite a bit inferior to the A17 Pro released last year, which means it should be remarkably inferior to the A18 Pro.

Apple is doing the right thing to wait another 1-2 years before this tech is ready to put in an iPhone.

My Honor Magic V3 Global will arrive tomorrow (which comes w/ MagicOS 8) and I live in the US. I'm saying this not to argue your point, but to let you know people are receiving their HM V3 Global today and tomorrow. The processor might not benchmark as well as the latest A chips, but that means nothing in terms of real world usage. I've never had an issue with the latest Snapdragon processors, in terms of performance. I've compared all of my foldables to the latest iPhone at the time as well. Both chips (A and Snapdragon) work exceptionally well in my opinion. I agree with your last point, except I would like to see Apple release a book style foldable in 2025. But, as of right now, it doesn't look like this is going to happen.

 

[cocky jeremy]

lol. Good luck with that. It won't even make the news in the US.

 

[JForestZ34]

It’s pretty easy to upstage an Apple iPhone event in the last 5-6. Everything is just mediocre. So this phone should do well in other markets


James

 

[gaximus]

Yes, they are. Been using a Samsung Fold for a year now and I love it

So because you bought one and like it, means they are selling well. I bet a $1800 phone is good, but not selling a lot. I doubt a tri-fold phone will be cheaper.

 

[ikramerica]

We all know how the folding bicycle replaced the antique non-folding models. And that flying cars replaced old cars.

Now we have the folding tricycle! Huge win, the press will go nuts. "Our new phones aren't so good. Let's add folding and $1000 to the price tag".

I love my briefcase model flying car. My wife enjoys her powder case model.

 

[Chuckeee]

But no one in the US or Europe is going to buy it, so I wouldn’t say they are going to upstage Apple.

I don’t think it is targeted for the US or Europe. It is obviously targeted to the domestic Chinese market, in particular at Challenging Apple sales in China

 

[rp100]

I really like the tri-fold but will never purchase it. I’m just glad to see competitors pushing new tech and trying new ideas. Throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks? I applaud that. That’s how new markets are created.

Apple is stagnant lately, and this past year is the first time that I strongly considered an Android since switching to an iPhone a decade ago. iPhone will always have a place in my heart, but I can’t marry myself to a device or ecosystem.

 

[nikhsub1]

Has there even been solid proof of Huawei phones having mal/spyware installed on them at the factory?

I mean, if the US gov't banned them there has got to be a reason...

 

[ikramerica]

It’s pretty easy to upstage an Apple iPhone event in the last 5-6. Everything is just mediocre. So this phone should do well in other markets


James

Here’s pretty much the same thing as last year! But the colors are slightly different, the cameras are a little different, and the processor can now control 5000 Apollo moon missions instead of 4000. Buy it now! NOW!

 

[Mousse]

The Huawei event is scheduled for September 10 at 2:30 p.m. China Standard Time. That translates to 11.30 p.m. Pacific Time on September 9, so the same day of Apple's "It's Glowtime" event for observers on the US West Coast. Apart from the foldable, new smartwatches and an electric car are also expected to be announced by Huawei on stage.

I have two issues with the claim Huawei scheduled this event to upstage Apple.

1. Apple's Glowtime is starts September 9th, 10:00am Pacific Time. That's over 12 hours earlier. If you're trying to steal someone's thunder, you do so before their announcement.
2. Apple's sale slump in China show that they aren't a threat to Huawei in China.

Anyhow, app developers must be pulling their hair out with all the bi-fold and now tri-fold phones. How do you make a consistent UI when you have to support 3 different interface formats? I've used android apps on a chromebook. Apps designed with only the standard UI gets letterboxed and it looks like crap.

 

[9081094]

Apple will make one too, in 2057

And it probably will quadruple in price with a meager 8 gb RAM.

 

[Downhilltenago]

Apple is really missing the boat with foldables just like they missed the boat with AI. The current leadership has no vision. Vision Pro is a dead-end.

It’s funny because the majority of post on here say no one wants foldable. Also people say they plan on disabling the AI and not using it. My opinion is the majority of the community here either doesn’t know what they want or just want apple to be first to new tech just to feel superior to an android phone. If apple isn’t first then they complain when the actual tech does come to iPhone.

 

[9081094]

and no one will care a bit.

There is a reason Apple’s iPhone vanished out of the top 5 mobile phone vendors in China.

 

[sw1tcher]

Blow China and Huawei off the map, nothing but communists

You and everyone here can start by not buying Apple products anymore because doing so supports their economy and companies like Foxconn, BOE, BYD, etc.

https://www.apple.com/au/supplier-responsibility/pdf/Apple-Supplier-List.pdf

But you and I both know that won't happen.

 

[harmonthe3rd]

Apple is really missing the boat with foldables just like they missed the boat with AI. The current leadership has no vision. Vision Pro is a dead-end.

To think Apple missed anything is naive. Folding phones are not the profit driver as are larger phones, look at every manufacturer sales data on the two. AI is overhyped and basically a buzz word. It’s just generative language models. As for the Vision Pro, I personally enjoy mine and use it everyday. The price point and learning curb is what people tend to dislike. I remember people used to dislike not having headphone jacks or having nooks lol.

 

[sw1tcher]

lol. Good luck with that. It won't even make the news in the US.

Won't make the news? MacRumors (U.S.-based) is reporting about it.

Then there's

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/02/huawei-plans-sept-10-launch-event-just-hours-after-apple-iphone-launch.html

Huawei Sets Up Apple Showdown With Event Hours After New iPhone

Huawei Technologies Co. is preparing to launch new products at an event mere hours after Apple Inc.’s debut for the iPhone 16, setting the stage for the two tech giants’ next clash.

www.bloomberg.com

I call that making the news.

 

[9081094]

But no one in the US or Europe is going to buy it, so I wouldn’t say they are going to upstage Apple.

Because Huawei is restricted to sell in Europe. I remember when they were able to sell their mobile phones over here. They took the market by storm by delivering value for money.

 

[harmonthe3rd]

You and everyone here can start by not buying Apple products anymore because doing so supports their economy and companies like Foxconn, BOE, BYD, etc.

https://www.apple.com/au/supplier-responsibility/pdf/Apple-Supplier-List.pdf

But you and I both know that won't happen.

Yes because if no Apple products were made in china that would put a dent in manufacturing in china lol. Like or dislike china they manufacture things cheap.

 

[npmacuser5]

Heaver, fatter bulge in pocket, and costs more is our future phone. Tough sell here!

 

[harmonthe3rd]

Love my Fold, never going back to anything else. Most existing product I unwrapped since the initial iPhone / iPad or Apple Watch.

FYI this is the CEO of Huawei's consumer group:

I would hope so. Can’t get caught with an iPhone like the other executives.

 

[Blackstick]

Huawei fans in the US are basically the guy you knew in college who was always chasing no-name garbage bands like they were common knowledge, household names.

"Wait, how do you not know about Sara's Toenails!? Their new album "Moose farts" is amazing!"

 

[rme]

I mean, if the US gov't banned them there has got to be a reason...

And the reason is they don't like competition.

 

[cjsuk]

It’s a larger pocketable display.

The moving parts are needed because you can’t fit an iPad Pro in your pocket.

This is starting at the wrong end of the problem which is the problem.

What problem do you need to solve?

Foldable screen phones exist only for market differentiation in a stable mature market. They do not serve the user.

 

[9081094]

To think Apple missed anything is naive. Folding phones are not the profit driver as are larger phones, look at every manufacturer sales data on the two. AI is overhyped and basically a buzz word. It’s just generative language models. As for the Vision Pro, I personally enjoy mine and use it everyday. The price point and learning curb is what people tend to dislike. I remember people used to dislike not having headphone jacks or having nooks lol.

AI is here to stay and will quickly getting better over time. Like it or hate it but it will be standard before you know it. Apple is late to the party and I hope they’re able to keep up with the rest.