GoKawiilXiaomi previews Fold 18 Pro with wider passport-style design ahead of Sept 7 launch
Xiaomi showed off its Fold 18 Pro foldable at IFA 2026 in a striking red color, letting attendees view but not handle the device. The company revealed the phone will use its own in-house XRING 03 chip, described as a 'Flagship AI SoC' combining CPU, GPU and NPU functions, potentially skipping Qualcomm or MediaTek chips altogether. Full specs and pricing are expected when the phone officially launches in China on September 7.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The wider, shorter proportions signal Xiaomi is chasing a different foldable silhouette than Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, intensifying competition over form factor just ahead of Samsung's own event. Using a self-made SoC also shows Xiaomi pushing toward chip independence, mirroring Apple and Samsung's efforts to control more of their hardware stack.
- Xiaomi unveiled the Fold 18 Pro at IFA 2026 with a wider, passport-style foldable design.
- The phone debuts Xiaomi's own XRING 03 chip, possibly replacing Snapdragon or MediaTek processors.
- Full launch details arrive September 7 in China, just before a rival foldable event.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 — If the passport-style foldable trend has you curious, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold is the benchmark the Xiaomi Fold 18 Pro is being measured against. It opens into a tablet-sized screen for multitasking and folds down to a pocketable phone, so you can try the book-style form factor today rather than waiting on a China-only launch.
See Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: engadget.com — Mat Smith, 2026-09-03
Published there as: “Xiaomi's new passport-style foldable looks shorter and wider than the Galaxy Z Fold 8”
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