On Tuesday, Huawei launched its innovative trifold smartphone outside of China, making strides to regain its presence in the global market after facing challenges due to U.S. sanctions.

The starting price for the Mate XT is set at 3,499 euros (approximately $3,660). While the specific countries for the smartphone’s release have not yet been disclosed, Huawei encourages users to stay tuned for local updates.

Initially introduced in China last year, the device has generated significant interest worldwide as the first-ever trifold smartphone. Unlike conventional foldable phones that can fold once, either vertically or horizontally, the Mate XT features two folding points, allowing it to function in single, double, or triple-screen modes.

At one point, Huawei was the leading smartphone manufacturer globally, competing directly with Apple and Samsung in the premium market segment.

Since U.S. imposed sanctions started in 2019, Huawei lost access to essential chips and the Google Android operating system, leading to a dramatic drop in its market share. As a result, the brand has all but disappeared from international markets, with Huawei’s share outside China now sitting at just 0.3%, based on data from International Data Corporation.

In contrast, Huawei’s market share in China rebounded to 17% in 2024, up from 12% the previous year, according to IDC. This resurgence began in late 2023 with the launch of a smartphone featuring an advanced chip that astonished many, considering ongoing U.S. sanctions aimed at limiting China’s access to cutting-edge semiconductor technologies.

Huawei is now looking to carry this momentum into the international arena, focusing on high-end devices.

Francisco Jeronimo, IDC’s vice president for data and analytics, shared with CNBC that the Mate XT is unlikely to see massive sales, with its appeal primarily directed at affluent consumers eager to showcase their wealth through such an extravagant device.

“Huawei appears to believe that the trifold offers a unique value proposition, and due to its high price, they aim to attract wealthy individuals who prioritize status over optimal user experience,” Jeronimo highlighted.

Still, even a modest sale of half a million Mate XT units could yield approximately $1.5 billion in revenue, Jeronimo noted.

The Mate XT will serve as a litmus test for Huawei’s viability beyond China. Notably, it will not operate on Google’s Android system, which dominates globally.

While Android users enjoy access to millions of applications via the Google Play Store, Huawei’s app marketplace lacks many popular Google apps crucial for users outside of China, potentially limiting the Mate XT’s market appeal.

Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research, remarked to CNBC that the absence of Google apps poses a significant obstacle for Huawei in the mainstream international market, especially for those willing to invest in high-end trifold devices but wanting access to services like streaming Netflix or utilizing the latest AI features from Google Gemini.

Gemini refers to Google’s AI chatbot.