Xiaomi's 18 Fold shifts focus to camera innovation with new photography modes

Xiaomi launches the 18 Fold in China, emphasising its camera capabilities with innovative modes designed to streamline photography on foldable devices, featuring a 200MP Leica-branded camera system and new framing features.

Xiaomi’s latest foldable, the 18 Fold, is being positioned as a camera-led device rather than simply a larger-screen handset. According to reporting from XimiTime and TechRadar, the model has already launched in China and combines a compact, squared-off folding design with two new shooting modes intended to make everyday photography less awkward.

The more notable of those modes lets users turn the outer display towards the subject, so the phone can act as a live preview screen when taking group shots or more difficult angled frames. A second option, described as a waist-level framing mode, is aimed at lower subjects such as pets or flowers, reducing the need for the photographer to crouch or kneel. Novedades Xiaomi and Archyde both say these additions are meant to cut down on repeated retakes and make composition feel more natural on a folding device.

The hardware matches that photographic ambition. TechRadar and Gadgets 360 say the phone uses a 5.38-inch cover display and a 7.58-inch inner folding screen, both with a 1.4:1 aspect ratio. Around the back is a Leica-branded triple camera system led by a 200MP main sensor, backed by 50MP ultra-wide and 50MP telephoto cameras. Notebookcheck adds that Xiaomi has paired the device with its Xring O3 chip, up to 16GB of RAM, and a 6,000mAh battery.

Xiaomi is also offering the 18 Fold with two 16MP cameras for selfies and video calls. Gadgets 360 says the battery supports 67W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, while Notebookcheck reports the chassis is just 5mm thick and uses bright AMOLED panels rated at up to 4,000 nits. For now, the phone is a China-only release, and Xiaomi has not confirmed when, or whether, it will receive a wider international launch.