Xiaomi has announced a date for the introduction of its very first wide foldable device. Let’s just say, the timing feels intentional.
The mobile president of the company, Lu Weibing, has shared on Weibo the launch date for the new Xiaomi 18 Fold: 7 September. That’s next Monday, occurring just two days prior to the expected reveal of the iPhone Ultra at the confirmed event on 9 September.
While Samsung quietly unveiled the passport-style Galaxy Z Fold 8 to stay ahead of the foldable iPhone, Xiaomi is being quite overt about their intentions. The company evidently wants the spotlight during a time when Apple will be a major player in tech news.
The phone has been displayed at IFA 2026 in Berlin, marking Xiaomi’s inaugural exhibit at the show, but only available behind glass for now.
Nonetheless, there’s a significant limitation: the 18 Fold is not anticipated to be launched outside of China, even though Xiaomi phones are available extensively in the UK and Europe. The fact that official promotions are solely appearing on Weibo speaks volumes.
Still, that doesn’t mean we can’t be excited about the arrival of yet another new wide foldable device in the market.
An official design reveal
Xiaomi has also been quite forthcoming regarding significant details about the 18 Fold ahead of its launch.
Starting with the design: that striking red finish appears stunning in Xiaomi’s official images, yet looks remarkably unappealing in leaked hands-on images. Let’s hope the first impression holds true, or it might fall short of the iPhone Ultra in terms of design appeal.
In terms of specifications, we know the device will feature a 5.38-inch cover screen that opens to reveal a 7.58-inch internal display. For comparison, it’s slightly smaller than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which includes a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner screen.
There’s no Qualcomm or MediaTek processor in sight, though. The 18 Fold will debut with Xiaomi’s proprietary XRing 03 chipset, which appears to be an impressively capable processor for both CPU and GPU tasks.
The rest of the specifications are yet to be confirmed, but we won’t have to wait long for definitive information. Just in time to potentially overshadow the iPhone Ultra, at least in China.
Putting the ‘Wow’ in Gadget Show!
In summary, the Xiaomi 18 Fold is engaging in a high-stakes game of ‘keeping up with the competition’ in the tech domain, and it’s bold enough to give Apple a little cause for concern—especially in Xiaomi’s home turf. Stay tuned to GadgetLad for further unexpected developments!
