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Apple is set to hold an event expected to unveil between six and nine new products, headlined by its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Ultra. Reports suggest the device could cost more than $2,000, with top configurations reaching $3,000, making it a flagship rather than a volume seller.
A new Bloomberg report says Apple began exploring foldable iPhone technology around 2016, but Tim Cook's personal enthusiasm after a trip to China in 2020 redirected the project toward a foldable phone rather than a foldable iPad. Rising component costs, partly driven by a memory shortage, have reportedly pushed Apple's internal pricing target from $1,999 up to $2,199, with higher-storage models potentially nearing $3,000.
Counterpoint Research projects global foldable phone shipments will exceed 100 million units this year, with Apple entering the category via the iPhone Ultra and quickly capturing a quarter of the market—putting it second behind Samsung and ahead of Huawei. The firm expects Apple's share to climb to 40% the following year, surpassing Samsung. Separately, Xiaomi has launched its book-style 18 Fold in China just a day before Apple's own hardware event.
Samsung has responded to user complaints about soft, sinking corners on the Galaxy Z Fold 8's inner display, stating the flex is a deliberate design feature rather than a hardware flaw. A company representative told Korean outlet BusinessPost that the cushioning effect helps protect the display from impacts and trapped debris like sand.
An Android Authority writer who has used both Android and iPhone devices for over a decade discusses rumors of Apple's first foldable phone, dubbed the iPhone Ultra. The author outlines five features—including a crease-free display—that would be necessary for them to consider fully switching from their Android device to Apple's foldable.
Xiaomi has released the 18 Fold, its first book-style foldable phone and the debut device for its self-made Xring O3 chip built on a 3nm process. The phone pairs a redesigned hinge and dual 120Hz displays reaching 4,000 nits with a Leica-tuned triple camera system led by a 200-megapixel main sensor, priced from 10,999 yuan (~$1,638). Xiaomi also unveiled a tablet using the same chip and three electric vehicles under its Pengcheng brand at the same event.
At IFA 2026 in Berlin, Android Authority's editors reviewed a wide range of new hardware from phones to smart home devices and named their standout picks. The top honor went to Xiaomi's 18 Fold, a foldable phone notable for using the company's own XRing O3 chip and new LPDDR6 memory, making its Berlin debut alongside a massive showcase of over 380 products from Xiaomi. Other recognized products included TECNO's zero-bezel concept phone, TCL's first NXTPAPER AMOLED handset, Anker's MindBase smart home hub, and new robots from Roborock and Mammotion.
Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone alongside its iPhone 18 Pro models, arriving seven years after Samsung's original Galaxy Fold. Reports suggest the device will use a short, wide, passport-like design, a shape that Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi have all released in recent months despite Apple not having launched or even officially teased its version yet.
Xiaomi has detailed the 18 Fold, a foldable phone pairing a 7.68-inch inner display with a 5.38-inch outer screen, both using a new HyperRGB panel and A4 aspect ratio. At 219g it's Xiaomi's lightest foldable yet, featuring an asymmetric notch-free design, a reinforced hinge, and the company's first self-designed 3nm chip, the XRING O3.
Xiaomi showcased its first wide-screen foldable in the numbered flagship line, the 18 Fold, at IFA 2026, featuring a 5.38-inch cover display and 7.58-inch inner screen. The device stands out with rounded corners, a striking cherry-red finish option, and a passport-style body that houses a notably capable camera setup. The launch comes right after Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and just before Apple's rumored first folding iPhone reveal.
Xiaomi unveiled the 18 Fold, its first book-style foldable since the 2024 Mix Fold 4, adopting the short, wide form factor now favored by Huawei and Samsung. Its inner and outer screens share a roughly 1.4:1 aspect ratio, making it both shorter and wider than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with hardware specs that reportedly surpass Samsung's device. However, it lacks any announced IP water/dust resistance rating and is slightly heavier and thicker than its rival.
Huawei has unveiled the Mate XT 2, an updated version of its trifold smartphone that refines the original design and borrows some interface and hardware ideas from Samsung's foldable devices. The device carries a price tag exceeding $3,000, positioning it firmly in the ultra-premium tier of the smartphone market.