Xiaomi launches the 18 Fold ahead of Apple's expected reveal of its first foldable iPhone

Xiaomi has unveiled its first foldable phone, the 18 Fold, ahead of Apple's anticipated reveal of its inaugural foldable iPhone. The new device features a 5.38-inch cover display and a 7.58-inch internal display, both powered by a 120Hz LTPO panel and capable of reaching 4,000 nits of peak brightness. The foldable display is safeguarded by a novel double-layer ultra-thin glass structure.

The phone's hinge, dubbed the Dragon Bone, has undergone 492 structural enhancements, resulting in a more rounded design compared to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8. Xiaomi will release the 18 Fold in four colors, including Nishino Red and a Ceramic Special Edition limited to 1,500 units. The flagship device is powered by the company's Xring O3 processor, a 3nm chip boasting a 10-core CPU up to 4.35GHz, a 16-core GPU, and an NPU rated at 200 TOPS.

Xiaomi claims the new chip delivers 60% and 85% improvements in multi-core CPU and GPU performance, respectively, while also reducing power draw by 25% and 64% compared to its predecessor. Additionally, Xiaomi introduced the Xiaomi Pad 9 Pro Max, which also utilizes the Xring O3 processor. The 18 Fold's camera setup, designed in collaboration with Leica, comprises a 200-megapixel main sensor, a 50-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom.

The phone is equipped with a 6,000mAh battery and supports both 67W wired and 50W wireless charging. The base model, featuring 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, launches at 10,999 yuan ($1,638), while the 16GB/1TB configuration costs 14,999 yuan ($2,235). The Ceramic Special Edition, priced at 15,999 yuan ($2,384), is also available.

As of now, Xiaomi has not disclosed plans to sell the 18 Fold outside China, where its previous Mix Fold models have been confined to the domestic market. The announcement precedes Apple's September 9 event at Apple Park, during which the tech giant is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Analysts predict the foldable will feature dual rear cameras and command a price tag exceeding $2,000.