Huawei spin-off Honor has launched a $1,690 folding smartphone to challenge Samsung, Apple

BARCELONA, Spain – Chinese smartphone maker Honor launched its foldable phone globally on Sunday, as it looks to compete with its competitors. Apple and Samsung in the high-end market.

Honor Magic Vs was first launched in China in November. Now the company is bringing the device to many markets abroad, including the UK, Germany and countries in Latin America.

This is a sign of the Chinese company’s desire to expand into a new cell phone technology – wrap-around – at the high end of the market, where it will compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung.

It has been honored by Huawei, after some of the sanctions imposed by the United States on the giant Chinese telecommunications company from Google’s major mobile phone software, which has brought its business to a standstill. As an exclusive entity, Honor has access to Android and the features it needs for its flagship devices.

Huawei sold Honor to a group of buyers that included the government of its headquarters, Shenzhen. Honor is the budget brand under Huawei, but it has been looking to market itself as a premium player since its independence, filling the gap that Huawei once had.

Honor launched its first smartphone overseas by the end of 2021 and since then has been pushing to bring more products to overseas Chinese markets.

The company has been trying to distance itself from Huawei and establish itself.

“Although Honor operates as a completely independent company, it still has to declare regularly that it is not Huawei. Over time this has become less of a problem, but it still faces challenges, “Ben Wood, the company’s president. research at CCS Insight, told CNBC via email.

The Honor Magic Vs is a so-called foldable smartphone. These are devices that have a screen that can bend. Honor says it tested the device by folding it and unlocking it 400,000 times without any issues.

The Honor smartphone runs Android and has a 7.9-inch display when fully unlocked. The phone also has a second display on the outside of the device when folded, which measures 6.45 inches.

Magic Vs will be offered at a price of 1,599 euros ($1,690) to the European market. It will compete with foldable devices from Samsung and China’s Oppo at the global level.

But the foldable phone, pioneered by Samsung, is still in its infancy. Foldable devices accounted for 1.1% of total shipments in 2022, according to IDC, and this share is expected to increase to 2.8% in 2026.

The Magic Vs is one of the first dual-core devices to hit the market outside of China, as Honor tries to make headway in the smartphone segment.

While Honor has emerged as one of the biggest mobile phone players in China, it has yet to achieve the same success overseas. It will be hoped that its more premium devices can help it win over users abroad.

At its peak in 2020, Huawei managed to become one of the world’s leading mobile phone players, surpassing Samsung and Apple by launching high-quality devices with new technologies. Since the cell phone business has been crippled, there has been a big gap with companies like Samsung, Apple, and other players like them. Xiaomithey used.

Honor will hope to compete with some of the users.

“I am satisfied with the products that Honor has revealed and some of the DNA that destroys its roots as actually being a part of Huawei is reflected in the quality of the products. by the US government and it sets the standard among smartphone manufacturers Chinese cell,” Wood said.

“Honor now needs to establish its independence and start the long road to establish its brand in the Western market like other Chinese smartphone manufacturers. It took Huawei almost a decade, so there is a long way to go for all the companies that is looking for. to compete with Samsung and Apple.”