Xiaomi 18 Fold Revealed: Deep Red “Mid-Fold” Debuts Days Before Apple’s Foldable

At IFA 2026 in Berlin, Xiaomi gave the world its first real-world look at the Xiaomi 18 Fold, a striking Deep Red wide-screen foldable landing in China on September 7 — just two days before Apple is expected to unveil its own first foldable iPhone.

Xiaomi 18 Fold: Key Specs & Price

A Genuinely Different Foldable Shape

Xiaomi is calling the 18 Fold a “mid-fold” — a form factor designed to split the difference between bulky book-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and smaller flip phones that sacrifice screen space. Folded shut, it’s roughly passport-sized, wide enough for comfortable one-handed typing, while unfolding to a 7.58-inch inner display with an aspect ratio built for split-screen multitasking rather than a narrow, elongated shape.

This marks a clear strategic shift for Xiaomi too — dropping the “Mix Fold” branding in favor of its main numbered flagship series signals the company now treats foldables as mainstream products, not experimental side projects.

The Chip and Camera Story

Powering the device is Xiaomi’s own XRing O3, a 3nm, 10-core processor marking the company’s continued push into self-designed silicon. It’s also the first phone to ship with CXMT’s next-generation LPDDR6 memory, rated for speeds up to 12,800Mbps — a meaningful leap for a device this compact.

On the camera front, Xiaomi went all-in with Leica once again. The setup includes a 200MP main sensor using Leica Summilux optics, backed by a 50MP ultra-wide and a 50MP periscope telephoto offering roughly 3.5x optical zoom — an unusually capable triple-camera array for a wide foldable, which typically compromises on zoom range to save internal space.

Battery life gets a solid bump too, with a 6,000mAh cell (up from 5,100mAh in the previous Mix Fold 4) fitted without making the phone noticeably thicker, alongside 67W wired and 50W wireless charging.

Availability: China-Only, For Now

As with every Xiaomi foldable before it, the 18 Fold is expected to remain a China-exclusive release at launch. Pricing is expected to start around ¥12,000 (roughly $1,650), positioning it between Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Apple’s rumored iPhone Ultra. No international rollout has been confirmed, continuing a pattern where every Mix Fold generation has stayed within China’s borders.

The 18 Fold arrives alongside Xiaomi’s Pad 9 Pro Max and its first extended-range SUVs, part of a broader IFA showcase spanning more than 380 products across Xiaomi’s “Human x Car x Home” ecosystem.

For more foldable phone launches and spec breakdowns, check out our Technology section on TechnoSports.

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