Xiaomi introduces the 18 Fold, its first wide-format foldable with a unique mid-fold design and Leica-tuned camera, signalling a shift towards more user-friendly foldable devices in China and potentially globally.
Xiaomi has formally introduced the 18 Fold, its first wide-format foldable and the company’s first model to use the numbered flagship naming rather than the Mix Fold brand. The handset was shown by Xiaomi president Lu Weibing on Weibo and launched in China on 7 September alongside the Xiaomi Pad 9 Pro Max and a new line of extended-range SUVs.
The device adopts a shorter, broader clamshell-like profile when shut, rather than the taller shape used by many earlier book-style foldables. Xiaomi’s cover screen measures 5.38 inches, while the inner panel stretches to 7.58 inches. The company has positioned the layout as a “mid-fold” design, sitting between traditional book foldables and flip phones, and says it is intended to be easier to hold in one hand when closed. The format echoes earlier experiments from OPPO, Google and Samsung, but Xiaomi’s dimensions place it close to the latest Galaxy Z Fold size class.
Inside, the 18 Fold is powered by Xiaomi’s Xring O3 chip, built on a 3nm process. Reports and hands-on coverage also point to up to 16GB of RAM, LPDDR6 memory and Android 17. The camera system, built with Leica, centres on a 200-megapixel main sensor, joined by a 50-megapixel ultrawide and a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom. Other details reported around the launch include a 6,000mAh battery, 67W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
Pricing starts at 10,999 yuan, or roughly $1,638, and the phone remains limited to the Chinese market. Xiaomi has not sold a foldable outside China since the original Mix Fold in 2021, so imports are likely to be the only route for overseas buyers. Even so, the 18 Fold underlines a wider shift in foldable design towards more usable outer screens and tablet-style inner displays, a direction Xiaomi believes will become the industry norm.
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