iPhone 16 and Huawei Mate XT go on sale.

Apple is facing an unprecedented challenge: convincing customers to buy the iPhone 16 without its most appealing feature.

On September 20th, the iPhone 16 went on sale in nearly 60 countries, including the US, China, India, Australia, and South Korea. However, the device does not come pre-installed with Apple Intelligence AI features.

This puts Apple in a risky position. Some users may postpone buying the iPhone 16 if they haven't fully experienced its features yet. Meanwhile, the iPhone's hardware has only received minor upgrades compared to previous models. The Camera Control button is the most notable change.

Nevertheless, Wall Street remains optimistic that Apple will see growth during the holiday shopping season. Analysts estimate revenue will increase 8% in the fourth quarter, the best performance since late 2021.

According to Bloomberg , although there were no longer crowds queuing outside Apple Stores on launch day, there were still enthusiastic fans waiting for the iPhone 16. The big question is whether the average consumer will buy them.

The iPhone 16 is displayed after its launch event on September 9th in the US. Photo: Bloomberg

In previous years, customers ordering iPhones online often experienced delays of several days, a sign of insufficient supply to meet demand. However, this year that is no longer an issue, either due to low order volumes or because Apple has resolved its supply chain problems.

The starting price for the iPhone 16 is $799, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199.

On the same day as the iPhone 16 went on sale was the Huawei Mate XT, the world's first triple-folding smartphone, priced at $2,800. Unlike Apple, Huawei's concern was supply chain tensions, leaving many who pre-ordered without a purchase.

The launch of the Mate XT underscores the Chinese phone manufacturer's ability to overcome US sanctions and solidify its position against Apple in China, where the American company has been criticized for a lack of innovation. Consumer business CEO Richard Yu proudly stated that Huawei has turned " science fiction into reality."

Pre-orders for the Mate XT have exceeded 6.5 million, nearly double the sales of foldable smartphones in the second quarter (almost 3.9 million units). However, Amber Liu, an analyst at research firm Canalys, predicts that the Mate XT may not replicate the success of the Mate X5 – priced at $1,630 and selling 2.2 million units. Nevertheless, the Mate XT marks a major breakthrough in every aspect.

Analyst Ming Chi Kuo says the foldable smartphone market could shrink from 30 million to 15 million units this year, depending on software, as it's not yet mature enough for large screens.

(According to Huawei Central, Bloomberg)

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/iphone-16-va-huawei-mate-xt-mo-ban-2324094.html