Huawei’s Trifold Smartphone Launches Globally as Company Aims for Int’l Market Comeback, Marking Victory Over US Sanctions

Huawei has officially launched its highly anticipated Mate XT, the world’s first trifold smartphone, outside of China—a move that signals not just an expansion strategy, but a major step toward reclaiming its position in the global market after years of being crippled by U.S. sanctions.

The Mate XT, which was first released in China last year, comes with a hefty price tag of 3,499 euros ($3,660). Huawei has yet to specify the exact countries where the device will be sold, but it has advised consumers to look out for local announcements.

Unlike conventional foldable devices that only fold once, the Mate XT’s two folding points allow it to transform into single, double, or triple screens, making it a significant innovation in the smartphone industry. But beyond its hardware, the global launch of the Mate XT is also seen as a bold statement—Huawei has survived and adapted despite Washington’s efforts to cripple its technological advancements.

Huawei’s International Launch: A Sign It Has Beaten U.S. Sanctions

For the past five years, Huawei has been locked in a battle with the United States, which imposed sanctions aimed at cutting off the company from critical semiconductor technology, software, and global supply chains. The restrictions were part of Washington’s broader efforts to curb China’s technological rise and prevent Huawei from gaining dominance in 5G networks and advanced chip production.

While these sanctions initially led to Huawei’s market collapse outside China, its latest international expansion suggests that it has successfully found workarounds to keep producing cutting-edge smartphones. Huawei is proving that it has adapted to the restrictions, rebuilt its supply chain, and developed its own technological alternatives—effectively outmaneuvering U.S. sanctions.

Despite being cut off from Google’s Android operating system, Huawei has forged ahead with its own software ecosystem, HarmonyOS, and found ways to develop advanced chips for its smartphones—shocking industry analysts who believed the company would never recover.

Huawei’s troubles began in May 2019, when former U.S. President Donald Trump blacklisted the company, adding it to the Entity List—a U.S. Department of Commerce trade restriction that prohibits American firms from doing business with Huawei.

This devastating blow cut Huawei off from its most crucial suppliers, including Google, which provided Huawei’s smartphones with the Android operating system and access to the Play Store. It also severed ties with Qualcomm, which supplied key semiconductor chips for Huawei’s devices, and TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), the world’s leading chip manufacturer, which was producing Huawei’s Kirin processors.

Without these suppliers, Huawei’s smartphone business collapsed overnight. Global shipments plunged by more than 80%, and its once-dominant position in markets like Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia disintegrated.

The situation worsened in 2020, when the U.S. tightened restrictions, banning foreign companies from using American technology to supply chips to Huawei. This move effectively cut Huawei off from TSMC, forcing the company to halt production of its flagship Kirin chips.

With no access to high-end processors and a crippled supply chain, Huawei’s smartphone market share outside China shrank to just 0.3%, according to IDC (International Data Corporation).

How Huawei Fought Back, Developing Its Own Operating System and Chips

Rather than accept defeat, Huawei took radical steps to rebuild itself. The company made two key strategic moves that changed its fortunes: launching HarmonyOS as a replacement for Android and mastering semiconductor technology.

With no access to Google’s Android OS, Huawei was forced to create its own operating system, HarmonyOS. Initially launched in 2019, HarmonyOS was Huawei’s answer to being locked out of the global smartphone software ecosystem.

While it lacked Google apps—such as YouTube, Gmail, and Google Maps—Huawei invested heavily in building its own app store, the AppGallery, and developing partnerships with alternative app developers. By 2023, HarmonyOS had over 600 million users, making it the third-largest mobile operating system after Android and iOS.

Perhaps the most shocking part of Huawei’s comeback was its ability to develop an advanced 7nm chip, despite U.S. sanctions blocking access to cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing. In August 2023, Huawei released the Mate 60 Pro, powered by a Kirin 9000s chip, developed by China’s SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation). The chip demonstrated that Huawei had made major breakthroughs in semiconductor production—despite efforts by the U.S. to prevent China from accessing such technology.

This technological leap was seen as a symbolic victory, proving that Huawei was no longer dependent on U.S. technology to build high-end smartphone.

Huawei’s Mate XT Marks A Bold Step Back Into the Global Market

With the launch of the Mate XT, Huawei is not just showcasing its hardware innovation—it is making a political and economic statement. The company is signaling to the world that it has successfully overcome U.S. sanctions and can now compete again on the global stage.

However, there are still challenges. The biggest hurdle for Huawei’s global expansion remains the lack of Google services. Without access to Google Play, Gmail, and other critical apps, Huawei’s international appeal remains limited.

Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research, highlighted this issue, saying that the lack of Google still poses a major problem for the mainstream international market.

“Lack of Google still is a ‘gaping hole’ for mainstream international market especially those who will pay top dollar for a tri-fold hardware but which want to run Netflix or Google’s Play Store or the latest cutting edge GenAI Google Gemini features,” Neil Shah told CNBC.

This remains a key disadvantage compared to rivals like Apple and Samsung, which dominate the high-end smartphone segment.

Despite this, Huawei is betting that its high-end, premium devices—such as the Mate XT—will appeal to wealthy consumers who prioritize unique design and exclusivity over software compatibility.

Francisco Jeronimo, an analyst at IDC, told CNBC that Huawei sees the trifold device as a unique value proposition. Because of its high price, the company is targeting wealthy individuals who are more interested in showing off their wealth rather than having the absolute best user experience.

If Huawei can sell even half a million units of the Mate XT, it could generate nearly $1.5 billion in revenue—helping to fuel further expansion.

Can Huawei Win Back the Global Market?

While the Mate XT’s launch marks an impressive milestone, Huawei still faces long-term challenges in winning back international consumers. The lack of Google services remains a major roadblock, U.S. restrictions continue to evolve, and the company’s success will depend on whether HarmonyOS can attract more international developers and apps.

Nevertheless, the launch of the Mate XT proves that Huawei is no longer a company in retreat. Despite U.S. sanctions, the company has survived, innovated, and is once again making a global impact.

If Huawei can continue its comeback and regain a foothold in international markets, it would mark one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in modern tech history—proving that even the world’s most powerful sanctions could not stop China’s leading technology giant.