The Xiaomi 18 Fold, an upcoming foldable smartphone from the leading smartphone player from China, does look a lot like Apple’s new iPhone Duo, which was launched on September 9. And while Apple fans will have to wait until October 23 for the Duo to hit shelves, Xiaomi’s foldable is already on sale in China. Xiaomi has gone for a short and wide foldable design, and if you compare the two, the resemblance is pretty hard to ignore.
If you have seen Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, you know that the smartphone has a more blocky shape. Xiaomi 18 Fold takes a different direction, though. It has got rounded edges and a much wider look, which is pretty much in line with what Apple’s doing with the iPhone Duo.
Chances are, the Xiaomi 18 Fold won’t get an official launch in places like the US. Still, its specs make it worth a look for anyone following foldable phones.
Xiaomi 18 Fold specifications
Talking about the features, the new Xiaomi 18 Fold comes with a 7.58-inch main screen and a 5.38-inch cover display. Under the hood, it uses Xiaomi’s XRING O3 processor, and you can get it with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM. Storage is not an issue, as the device comes with options that go all the way up to 1TB. Also, there is a huge 6,000mAh battery – this means the device has been designed for heavy usage.
Camera advantage
For photography, the device comes with a triple-rear camera setup on the back, with a 200MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide, and a 50MP telephoto. All three cameras come with Leica branding, which definitely appeals to photography fans.
Will Xiaomi 18 Fold: Price outside China?
Let us compare the Xiaomi foldable handset with Apple’s approach.
The iPhone Duo – the first foldable Apple handset – sits at the high end, starting at USD 1,999. Xiaomi’s 18 Fold comes with a slightly cheaper price tag in the Chinese market, i.e., around USD 1,600, though importing it elsewhere will probably bump up the price.
So, is Xiaomi gearing up for an international release?
Currently, it’s a China-only device. That means if you live in India or any other country where Xiaomi has a presence, then you might also have to wait.
With both Xiaomi and Apple getting behind this short, wide design for their foldables, it’s starting to look like this form factor could be the next big trend in top-tier foldable phones.
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