Xiaomi is about to take a very different approach to foldable phones.
The company has officially shown its upcoming Xiaomi 18 Fold, and instead of following the tall, narrow design used by many earlier foldables, Xiaomi has created what it calls a “mid-fold” phone — a device that is roughly passport-sized when closed but opens into a much wider display.
And the timing is interesting: Xiaomi has confirmed that the phone will launch in China on September 7, 2026.
It Looks Like a Passport When Folded
This is the first thing that makes the Xiaomi 18 Fold different.
When closed, Xiaomi says the phone is roughly the size of a passport, making it easier to hold and use with one hand. When opened, it transforms into a 7.58-inch display.
The idea is simple: instead of carrying a tall, narrow phone that becomes a tablet when opened, Xiaomi wants something that feels compact in your hand while still giving you a large screen when you need it.
Xiaomi Calls It a “Mid-Fold”
Xiaomi isn’t positioning this as just another book-style foldable.
The company calls the design a mid-fold, sitting between traditional large foldables and smaller flip-style phones. Xiaomi says the goal is to solve the long-standing compromise between portability and a large display.
The result is a shorter and wider design that looks noticeably different from Xiaomi’s previous Mix Fold phones.
The Inner Screen Is Surprisingly Wide
The 18 Fold reportedly uses a 5.38-inch cover display and a 7.58-inch inner display.
Xiaomi has also revealed that the inner screen uses a √2:1 paper-like ratio, designed to provide more usable screen space for documents, reading, multitasking and other large-screen activities.
That could make the phone particularly interesting for people who use foldables for productivity rather than simply watching videos.
There’s a Big Camera Surprise
The rear of the phone features a triple-camera setup in a horizontal camera module, with Leica branding.
Reports indicate that the system could include a 200MP main camera, 50MP ultrawide and 50MP telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom. However, Xiaomi has not yet published the complete camera specification sheet ahead of the September 7 launch.
That telephoto camera could give Xiaomi an advantage over some competing foldables that have sacrificed dedicated zoom hardware.
Xiaomi Is Putting Its Own Chip Inside
Perhaps the most important part of the Xiaomi 18 Fold isn’t the folding screen.
It’s the processor.
The phone will be the first flagship smartphone powered by Xiaomi’s new XRing O3 chip. Xiaomi is also pairing it with next-generation LPDDR6 memory, with reports indicating configurations of up to 16GB of RAM.
This is a major step for Xiaomi as it attempts to gain more control over its hardware rather than relying entirely on processors from Qualcomm or MediaTek.
The Battery Could Be Huge for a Foldable
Early reports suggest the Xiaomi 18 Fold could pack a 6,000mAh battery, alongside 67W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
An IP68 rating has also been reported, although some of these specifications should still be treated as pre-launch information until Xiaomi publishes the final specification sheet.
If the 6,000mAh figure is accurate, it would be an unusually large battery for a device of this form factor.
And Xiaomi Is Going Bold With the Color
The first official images show the phone in a striking deep red/Nishino Red finish.
The design also features rounded corners, thin bezels and a distinctive horizontal camera bar, giving the 18 Fold a considerably different appearance from Xiaomi’s previous foldables.
Xiaomi Is Launching It Just Before Apple’s Foldable
The timing may be one of the most interesting parts of the story.
Xiaomi’s 18 Fold is scheduled to launch in China on September 7, while Apple’s first foldable iPhone is widely expected to be unveiled around Apple’s September event.
That puts Xiaomi’s new foldable directly in the spotlight at almost exactly the moment Apple is expected to enter the foldable market.
The Price Could Be a Surprise
Xiaomi has not officially announced the final price yet.
However, recent reports from China suggest the phone could start at more than ¥10,000, with estimates around ¥12,000 being discussed. These figures should be treated as leaks until the official launch.
That would put the Xiaomi 18 Fold firmly into the premium foldable category.
This Could Be Xiaomi’s Most Interesting Foldable Yet
The Xiaomi 18 Fold isn’t simply trying to make another Galaxy Z Fold-style phone.
Its passport-sized body, wider inner display, new mid-fold concept, Leica triple camera system and Xiaomi’s own XRing O3 processor show that Xiaomi is trying to rethink what a foldable should look like.
And we won’t have to wait long to find out everything.
Xiaomi is scheduled to officially launch the 18 Fold in China on September 7, 2026.
