A billboard at a Huawei flagship store in Shanghai announces that there are no more bookings available for the Huawei Mate XT on September 20, 2024. Photo: Qi Xijia/GT

In a highly anticipated event, tech giants Huawei and Apple simultaneously kicked off sales of their latest flagship smartphones in China on Friday, sparking a wave of consumer excitement.

Huawei's new triple-fold Mate XT smartphone and Apple's iPhone 16 series both received enthusiastic responses from consumers, underscoring the intense competition in the high-end smartphone market.

At 10:08 am on Friday, Huawei's triple-fold device officially went on sale. Immediately, all models were sold out, with the official website reporting no available stock. According to Huawei's online store, a restock is scheduled at 10:08 am on Saturday. 

Despite the rain, a large number of eager customers arrived at Huawei's flagship store in downtown Shanghai.

"I was waiting to grab one at 10:08, but they were gone in seconds. I am mainly interested in the triple-fold screen and eager to experience the breakthrough in Huawei's technology for myself," a customer surnamed Wang told the Global Times on Friday.

A staff member informed the Global Times that while pre-orders were no longer available and there were no stocks left in the physical store, customers were welcome to queue up and experience the new devices firsthand.

Prior to the launch, over 6.85 million people had registered for the chance to purchase the new phone. Yu Chengdong, Huawei's executive director, revealed on Friday that demand for the triple-fold phone exceeded expectations, prompting the team to work overtime to increase production capacity, according to Jiefang Daily.

On the same day, Apple began selling its iPhone 16 series across its retail stores. At a retail store in Sanlitun, Beijing, around 200 customers were seen waiting to collect their devices on Friday noon.

Apple's latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone 16 series, hits the shelves at major retail outlets across China on September 20, 2024. At its bustling Sanlitun flagship store in Beijing, the first batch of customers who had made online reservations line up indoors and outdoors to collect their devices. Photo: Ma Tong/GT

A customer surnamed Liu told the Global Times that he had pre-ordered the highest configuration of the iPhone 16 Pro Max. "I value Apple's ecosystem. While the upgrades may not be as groundbreaking as Huawei's, it doesn't deter me from getting a new iPhone," Liu said.

Experts noted that the simultaneous launch of these flagship models showcases the latest technological advancements from both companies, providing consumers with diverse choices.

"Huawei has always been known for its strong research and development capabilities and innovative strength, which is an important selling point for Chinese consumers who support domestic technology. On the other hand, Apple boasts a well-established ecosystem, where seamless connectivity and collaboration between services provide users with a more convenient and efficient experience," Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.