Huawei's Tian Gong Hinge Leads the Folding Revolution, Domestic Supply Chain Seizes Nearly 10 Billion Market

After a year, Huawei launched its second-generation tri-foldable smartphone, the Mate XTs Extraordinary Master, on September 4, with a starting price of 17,999 yuan, 2,000 yuan lower than its predecessor. This phone is equipped with the Kirin 9020 chip and HarmonyOS 5.1, and for the first time, it enables PC-level multi-window interaction and professional-grade app adaptation. As the core component of foldable devices, the hinge directly affects the product’s thinness, durability, and crease control. Thanks to the innovative Tiangong hinge system, Huawei has made the phone just 12.8mm thick when folded, and even thinner at 3.6mm when unfolded.

Source of image: iFeng Tech

New Breakthrough in Hinge Technology

The Huawei Mate XTs features the new Tiangong hinge system, representing the highest level of current foldable screen hinge technology. This system uses a dual-track linkage structure design, integrating an embedded one-piece connecting rod and an embedded sliding arc arm. The innovation of the Tiangong hinge is reflected in three aspects: materials, structure, and craftsmanship. In terms of materials, "liquid metal + ultra-light carbon fiber" is used for the first time to create mass-produced dual main load-bearing components. Structurally, the "mortise and tenon-slide rail" replaces the traditional multi-axis connecting rod, reducing the number of parts from 138 to 87, and the thickness by 0.9mm. In terms of craftsmanship, the elastic deformation of liquid metal micro-gears automatically corrects manufacturing errors, ensuring a 180° flatness of ≤0.3mm.

The hinge industry is embracing a tremendous opportunity.

The hinge, as the "heart" of folding devices, continues to increase in value as technology advances. The hinge in Huawei's tri-fold smartphone is valued at around 1,000 yuan. As the penetration rate of foldable screens rises, the hinge industry is facing tremendous opportunities. This May, Huawei also applied its hinge technology to the MateBook Fold Extraordinary Master foldable laptop, which features a new-generation Xuanwu waterdrop hinge with a folding lifespan exceeding 500,000 cycles. This foldable laptop, starting at 24,000 yuan, has already garnered over 100,000 pre-orders. With the release of the Mate XTs, Huawei has equipped it with the brand-new Tiangong hinge system. According to professional institutions, global shipments of foldable smartphones are expected to exceed 30 million units in 2025, with tri-fold models accounting for up to 15%. This means that the value per device will increase twofold, creating an incremental market worth nearly 10 billion yuan.

In the upstream raw materials segment of the foldable smartphone hinge industry chain, core suppliers provide key foundational materials for hinge production: major suppliers in the liquid metal field include Yi'an Technology and Changzhou Shijing. Yi'an Technology’s liquid metal hinges have a thickness of only 0.8mm, saving 30% of internal space compared to traditional alloys, with fatigue resistance increased to three times that of traditional alloys, and a folding lifespan exceeding 600,000 cycles. In the MIM (Metal Injection Molding) metal injection molding components field, professional companies such as Jingyan Technology, Tonglian Precision, Sunway Communication, Xinrixing, and Fuchi High-Tech are concentrated. The material properties provided by these upstream companies directly determine the mechanical strength, wear resistance, and overall quality standards of hinge products.

In the midstream segment of the foldable smartphone hinge industry chain, specialized hinge assembly companies are responsible for precisely processing various raw materials and assembling them into finished hinges. The main manufacturers in this field include international giants such as Amphenol from the United States and KH Vatec from South Korea, as well as Taiwan-funded enterprises such as Jarllytec and Fu Shida, and mainland Chinese manufacturers such as Changying Precision and Kosen Technology. These companies transform upstream materials into hinge products that meet terminal requirements through precision manufacturing processes and structural design capabilities.

At the downstream of the foldable phone hinge industry chain are the foldable phone brands, including leading companies such as Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, vivo, and OPPO. These terminal manufacturers integrate hinges with flexible screens, motherboards, and other core components to ultimately launch foldable phone products that meet the diverse needs of the market. Each segment of the industry chain collaborates through technological synergy and quality control, jointly driving the iteration of foldable hinge technology and product innovation.

According to IDC data, in the first half of 2025, China's foldable smartphone market shipments reached 4.98 million units, a year-on-year increase of 12.6%. Huawei dominated the Chinese foldable phone market with a 75% market share, meaning Huawei's hinge suppliers will directly benefit from the sales growth of Huawei's foldable products. Its cumulative shipments reached 3.74 million units in the first half of 2025. With Samsung expected to launch a tri-fold phone in the future and Apple planning to enter the market in 2026, competition in the foldable market will become increasingly fierce. Innovation in hinge technology will not stop—lighter, more durable hinge designs may emerge, supporting unlimited folds or even automatic folding in the future. Domestic supply chain companies have already seized the technological high ground and have become an indispensable force in global consumer electronics innovation.