{
  "id": 6170106,
  "title": "I Actually Really Like Xiaomi’s Folding iPhone Ultra Rival",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/i-actually-really-like-xiaomis-folding-iphone-ultra-rival",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-07T17:42:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CNET",
    "slug": "cnet",
    "url": "https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/i-actually-really-like-xiaomis-folding-iphone-ultra-rival/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Our expert team picked Xiaomi's new foldable phone for its review at IFA in Berlin. After seeing it on a stand, I finally got a chance to hold it and play around with it. The phone has a passport-style fold that I really enjoy, but it faces stiff competition from Samsung and Apple. Rumors suggest Apple will unveil its first folding iPhone, called the iPhone Ultra, on September 9. This phone will also have a passport-style design that's compact when closed but expands into a wider format for video viewing. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, which launched earlier this summer, has a similar passport-style design that CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti liked so much that she awarded it an Editors' Choice. Xiaomi's phone is similar to Samsung's, with a 5.38-inch outer display that unfolds to reveal a 7.58-inch inner display. I agree with Abrar's assessment that the passport-style design is \"refreshing\" and \"fun.\" The inner display looks bright and vibrant, and the fold is barely noticeable. Xiaomi claims its custom hinge uses a \"three-link\" design for added strength and durability. In my brief hands-on time, it felt satisfying to open and held its position well, allowing me to prop it open at an angle. Xiaomi's phone is the first to use its own in-house XRing 03 processor, which the company claims is as powerful as any other flagship chip, including Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite found in Samsung's Galaxy phones. This move shows Xiaomi's commitment to having more control over the product. The phone also has a 200 megapixel main camera, a 50 megapixel telephoto camera, and a 6,000mAh silicon carbon battery. These specs are solid, but I will have to wait and see how well they perform after testing it myself. Overall, I am impressed by the Xiaomi 18 Fold. The passport-style design stands out more than the typical book- or flip-style of Xiaomi's previous foldables. I hope Xiaomi sells this phone outside of mainland China, even though they don't officially sell any of their phones in the US. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a chance to get my hands on one.",
  "summary": "It’s a direct rival to Apple and Samsung and I hope I can get hold of one",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}