Xiaomi officially showed the design of its new foldable phone Xiaomi 18 Fold for the first time before its autumn event on September 7. The promotional video, released after the photos leaked to the internet last week, confirms the general appearance of the phone as well as its screen dimensions. The company calls the form factor it uses in the Xiaomi 18 Fold “mid-fold” and places the device between classic foldable phones with large screens and smaller models. While there is a 5.38-inch screen on the outside of the phone, when the device is opened, users are greeted by a 7.58-inch main screen. According to the information provided by Xiaomi, the closed body will be approximately the size of a passport and will come with a weight distribution that will facilitate one-handed use.
In the images shared by Xiaomi, the red color option of the 18 Fold is also seen. The large camera section, placed horizontally on the back, houses three cameras and LED flash. While Xiaomi also published some images showing the internal structure of the phone on its website, it confirmed that it was working with Leica in the development of the camera system. The features of the camera sensors and the focal lengths of the lenses have not yet been announced. Therefore, it will be clearer after the introduction on September 7 to what extent the Leica collaboration will be similar to the applications in Xiaomi’s current flagships in terms of image processing, lens design and color profiles.
Xiaomi 18 Fold Xring comes with O3 processor and 7.58 inch screen
Lu Weibing, head of Xiaomi’s smartphone unit, states that the company does not position the 18 Fold as just another model added to its existing foldable phones. According to Weibing, the device has been developed to be one of the most advanced flagships in Xiaomi’s product line and to compete at the same level as the company’s standard numbered flagships. Xiaomi’s definition of “mid-fold” also constitutes the physical design side of this approach. Although large foldable phones offer a large working area approaching the size of a tablet when opened, a significant part of daily use can occur through the smaller external screen. While more compact foldable models provide advantages in terms of portability, they may require more compromises in terms of screen space, hardware or usage style.
18 Fold aims to strike a balance between these two approaches. The 5.38-inch cover screen will offer a significantly smaller usable area than today’s standard smartphones. On the other hand, shrinking the body to approximately passport size when closed can reduce the problems that arise when carrying large foldable phones in pockets and using them with one hand. The 7.58-inch panel used when the phone is opened provides a larger area for multitasking and video watching. Xiaomi also states that a new aspect ratio is preferred for the main screen. However, how this different ratio will affect application compatibility and split-screen usage can be better evaluated when the device is used daily.
One of the notable components inside the phone will be Xiaomi’s own developed Xring O3 processor. The chip in question also appeared in Geekbench records before the official launch. On the software side of Xiaomi 18 Fold, Surge OS 4 will be used and the company’s artificial intelligence model running on the device called MiMo will be integrated into the system. Executing AI operations directly on the device can reduce the need for a cloud connection for supported tasks and provide some advantages in terms of processing personal data. However, it has not yet been explained in detail what features MiMo will use on the 18 Fold and how the processor will perform under long-term load in a foldable body.
Xiaomi has also developed a new hinge mechanism called “dragon bone” for the durability of the foldable structure. In addition, the company states that it uses a new simulation-based testing system to evaluate the mechanical structure of the device. Since hinge durability, fold marks on the screen and long-term mechanical wear on foldable phones directly affect the user experience, it will be necessary to see the effect of these changes in real usage conditions. Xiaomi had also previously confirmed that the 18 Fold will be one of the first phones to use the new LPDDR6 memory developed by CXMT. Thus, the device will be positioned among Xiaomi’s upper segment models not only with its body shape but also with its basic hardware components such as processor and memory.
Xiaomi 18 Fold will not appear alone at the event on September 7. The company will also introduce the Xiaomi N70 Pro, N70 Max and N90 Max models within the scope of the same event. These will be accompanied by the Xiaomi Pad 9 Pro Max tablet and it is stated that the Xring O3 processor will be used in this model. Thus, it will be seen that Xiaomi carries its own processor to a wider product group on both the smartphone and tablet side. For the 18 Fold, the main point of distinction will be how successful the balance established between the 5.38-inch external screen and the 7.58-inch internal screen is in daily use; While the smaller body increases portability, possible compromises on issues such as screen area and battery capacity will be decisive in the overall evaluation of the device.
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