Xiaomi shows off its Galaxy Z Fold 8 rival at IFA ahead of next week’s launch

Xiaomi displayed its forthcoming foldable smartphone, the Xiaomi 18 Fold, at the IFA 2026 event in Berlin ahead of its planned launch in China the following week. The device featured a bold cherry red exterior, a unique camera cover, and a broader aspect ratio compared to Xiaomi's previous foldables. Although Xiaomi refrained from disclosing full specifications, the company confirmed that the 18 Fold would be the first flagship phone powered by the new XRing O3 processor.

It also announced that the chipset would be complemented by next-generation LPDDR6 RAM, capable of achieving speeds up to 12,800Mbps, ensuring smooth multitasking on the foldable screen. The back of the device showcased a triple-camera setup, with indications of a focal range spanning from 17mm to 80mm, translating to an optical zoom of approximately 3.3x to 3.5x for telephoto images.

Xiaomi has officially announced that the phone will come equipped with a 5.38-inch cover screen alongside a 7.58-inch foldable display, resulting in a more rectangular form factor akin to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8. The company's extensive presence at the show was evident, as Xiaomi occupied a showcase spanning over 3,300 square meters in Berlin, showcasing more than 380 connected devices under its Human X Car X Home strategy.

Xiaomi is anticipated to unveil all details regarding the 18 Fold, including pricing and regional availability, during its official launch event in China on September 7. Until then, the IFA showcase offers the most detailed glimpse most people outside China will have of the device's design and hardware. Exercise caution and consider this information with a large measure of skepticism, as two separate leakers have presented conflicting specifications for the purported Galaxy S25 Edge successor.