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Xiaomi released the Xiaomi 18 Fold and Huawei unveiled the Mate XT2 trifold this week, both timed just ahead of Apple's Wednesday event where the company is expected to reveal its first foldable iPhone under CEO John Ternus. Analysts say the Chinese manufacturers are trying to lock in buyers before Apple enters the foldable market.
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.
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 Pad 9 Pro Max, a flagship Android tablet powered by its own XRing O3 processor, offering up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. The 13.3-inch, 144Hz display supports six-app split-screen multitasking via HyperOS 4, and the device can also function as an external monitor through video input. Priced from roughly $715, it's currently available only in China.
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.
Arm has unveiled its Mali G2-Ultra NX graphics processor, the result of five years of work to build AI-based gaming acceleration into mobile GPUs. It debuts today inside Xiaomi's custom Xring O3 chip in the Xiaomi 18 Fold, launching in China, with Arm executives saying the chip will reach other phones, tablets and possibly Chromebook-style devices next year.
Xiaomi has released the Xiaomi 18 Fold in China, its first wide-format foldable, featuring a 5.38-inch cover screen and a 7.58-inch inner display with a 2:1 aspect ratio, both running at up to 120Hz and 4,000 nits brightness. The phone runs on Xiaomi's own XRing 03 chipset, up to 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, and a 6,000mAh battery with 67W wired and 50W wireless charging, starting around $1,639 with no confirmed global launch yet.
Huawei unveiled the Mate XT2, its second-generation triple-folding phone, featuring a 10.2-inch unfolded display, a slimmer design, and a special edition with a privacy screen borrowed from its laptops. The device runs on Huawei's own Kirin 9050 Pro chipset, which the company claims delivers major CPU and GPU performance gains over its predecessor.