Huawei has significantly increased component orders for its foldable smartphones, with a prospect to see related shipments more than double from its earlier projection, according to industry sources.
The sources noted that Huawei's new foldable model, the Mate X3, has been well received since its launch in March.
The Mate X3 comes with a light form factor, weighing only 239g, lighter than Xiaomi's Mix Fold, Honor's Magic Vs, and even the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is not foldable. The Mate X3 has a thickness of 5.3mm unfolded.
According to supply chain sources familiar with the project, Huawei has revised the Mate X3's shipment target to over three million units compared to the 1.47 million units set previously.
Meanwhile, related suppliers are more excited about a new up-and-down folding model that Huawei plans to launch in the second half of 2023.
The sources noted that Huawei has not yet given a projected shipment volume for the upcoming foldable model. However, the projected shipment target will likely be multiplied due to the relatively affordable price of the up-and-down models compared to the flagship left and right folding models. Coupled with the Mate X3, Huawei will inevitably increase its total component orders for foldable smartphones, estimated the sources.
According to DIGITIMES Research, global foldable smartphone shipments will likely grow from 18.3 million units shipped in 2022 to 29.1 million in 2023 and 45.2 million in 2024.
On the other hand, global shipment shipments will likely decrease to 1.124 billion units in 2023, down from 1.16 billion shipped a year earlier before rebounding in 2024.
Meanwhile, Google has officially announced its first foldable model, the Pixel Fold, along with the Pixel 7a smartphone at its annual Google I/O event.
The Pixel Fold is available starting at US$1,799 (NT$52,200). Sources at Taiwan's handset supply chain said that the steep price might limit the shipment volume of the foldable model.
However, the sources noted that the Pixel Fold comes with the most durable hinges on a foldable, provided by US-based Amphenol. Taiwan-based hinge makers are likely to vie for related orders in the future.
Article translated by Steve Shen
