Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL] unveiled on Friday a slate of new devices meant to showcase the Chinese companys hardware technology, just days before Apple Inc releases its highly-anticipated iPhone 6 on Sept 9. Huawei, which began as a telecom equipment company in 1987, has rapidly transformed itself in recent years into the worlds No. 3 smartphone maker behind Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Apple. Today it markets its devices as comparable to Samsung and Apple products, which are often viewed by consumers as the technological cutting edge. Huawei said Friday it would release a limited edition of its high-end Ascend P7 phone with a sapphire glass display – the costly but durable material thats been the subject of industry chatter following reports this year that Apple would begin mass producing devices with sapphire.