Xiaomi’s next book-style foldable has surfaced in alleged hands-on photographs, offering an early look at a significantly wider design ahead of its expected launch in September 2026.
According to reports from 9to5Google and Android Authority, Xiaomi has confirmed that the device will be called the Xiaomi 18 Fold and will debut with the company’s new XRING 03 processor. The company has not yet announced a precise launch date, pricing or availability outside China.
A shorter and wider take on the book-style foldable
The images, attributed to leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, appear to show a prototype with a compact, wide body. When opened, the phone presents a landscape-oriented inner display that looks broader than the panels used in Xiaomi’s previous MIX Fold devices.
The proportions place the Xiaomi 18 Fold in the same emerging category as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Huawei’s Pura X View. A wider inner screen can provide more usable space for side-by-side apps and tablet-style layouts, although the photographs do not establish the display’s exact size, resolution or aspect ratio.
The apparent prototype also has comparatively thick borders around the inner display and a hole-punch selfie camera near the upper-right corner. Its rear is finished in a deep red colour and carries a wide camera bar with three visible lenses and an LED flash. These observations come from unofficial images, and the retail hardware could still differ.
XRING 03 brings Xiaomi’s chip strategy to a foldable
The phone is set to use the XRING 03, the successor to Xiaomi’s first in-house smartphone processor, the XRING 01. That makes the 18 Fold important beyond its form factor: it will also serve as an early showcase for Xiaomi’s expanding control over its mobile hardware platform.
Reports surrounding Xiaomi’s announcement describe XRING 03 as a 3nm chip and a substantial generational upgrade. However, detailed performance claims and benchmark comparisons should be treated cautiously until independent testing can be conducted on shipping hardware.
The leaked device also resembles a foldable shown in earlier HyperOS 4 promotional material. That software image featured a similarly broad inner display, thick bezels and an upper-right camera cut-out, lending some support to the new photographs without independently proving that they show a final production unit.
Several important details remain unknown
Xiaomi has yet to disclose the 18 Fold’s display specifications, battery capacity, charging speeds, camera sensors, dimensions or weight. It is also unclear whether the company plans to release the device internationally; several previous Xiaomi foldables were limited to China.
The wider layout is nevertheless the clearest point of interest. Foldable manufacturers initially favoured tall, narrow book-style phones, but newer designs are moving towards shorter bodies and squarer inner displays. That format can make the cover screen feel more conventional while providing a more tablet-like canvas when unfolded.
Xiaomi’s September presentation should establish whether the leaked design reaches production and clarify how the XRING 03 performs in a power- and space-constrained foldable.
Sources: 9to5Google and Android Authority.
