Xiaomi 18 Fold Goes Officially on Display at IFA 2026 with a Wide Design, 200MP Leica Camera and New XRING O3 Chip

Xiaomi has given the public its first look at the new Xiaomi 18 Fold ahead of its official launch in China. The company's latest foldable flagship was showcased at IFA 2026 in Berlin, highlighting its wide-body design, barely visible crease, dark red finish, horizontal Leica camera module and Xiaomi's new-generation XRING O3 chipset.

The appearance at IFA also allowed Xiaomi to confirm several key details about the device before its official unveiling. However, pricing, storage configurations and wider availability are expected to be revealed during the company's Chinese launch event on September 7.

A shorter and wider foldable design

The Xiaomi 18 Fold takes a different approach to the traditional foldable smartphone form factor. It features a 5.38-inch cover display and a much larger 7.58-inch internal screen. Xiaomi describes the format as a "mid-fold" design.

When folded, the phone has a relatively short and wide shape, while opening it reveals a broad display rather than the tall, narrow panel commonly found on book-style foldables.

This design brings the 18 Fold closer in proportions to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8 than Xiaomi's previous Mix Fold models. Interestingly, its screen dimensions are also close to the rumored design of Apple's first foldable iPhone, which is expected to feature a roughly 5.3-inch outer display and a 7.7-inch inner panel.

New Dragon Bone hinge and reinforced displays

Xiaomi has equipped the 18 Fold with a redesigned Dragon Bone hinge mechanism. The hinge uses a water-drop profile and a three-stage connection system designed to improve durability and reduce stress around the folding area.

The internal display uses a dual-layer Ultra-Thin Glass structure, while the outer screen is protected by Xiaomi's Dragon Crystal Glass 3.0. The frame is made from aviation-grade 7-series aluminum.

One of the most noticeable aspects of the device on display in Berlin is the relatively subtle crease. Xiaomi appears to have made significant progress in minimizing one of the most visible compromises associated with foldable displays.

A Leica-powered triple-camera system

The horizontal camera module is one of the most distinctive visual elements of the Xiaomi 18 Fold. It houses three rear cameras alongside an LED flash.

Xiaomi has confirmed its partnership with Leica for the camera system, while leaked specifications point to a high-end setup. The phone is expected to feature a 200MP 1/1.56-inch main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide camera and a 50MP periscope telephoto camera offering 3.5x optical zoom.

All three cameras are reportedly paired with Leica Summilux lenses. The system is said to cover a focal-length range of approximately 17mm to 80mm, positioning the 18 Fold as a serious photography flagship in addition to being a foldable device.

The horizontal camera layout also recalls recent reports about Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone. However, Apple is expected to use two rear cameras, while Xiaomi appears to be opting for a more versatile triple-camera setup.

Xiaomi's next step in custom silicon

The Xiaomi 18 Fold will also make history as the first Xiaomi flagship smartphone powered by the company's new XRING O3 processor.

Built using TSMC's 3nm manufacturing process, the XRING O3 features a 10-core CPU configuration. It includes two C1-Ultra cores clocked at up to 4.35GHz, four C1-Premium cores reaching 3.68GHz and four C1-Pro cores running at up to 3.15GHz.

Graphics are handled by a 16-core G2-Ultra NX GPU, while a four-core NPU is reportedly rated at 200 TOPS for AI workloads.

Early benchmark results suggest that the XRING O3 could compete strongly with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in both performance and efficiency. The Xiaomi 18 Fold is also expected to become the first smartphone to feature LPDDR6 memory.

A large 6,000mAh battery

Battery capacity has traditionally been one of the compromises of thin foldable smartphones. Xiaomi appears determined to challenge that trend with the 18 Fold.

The company has confirmed a 6,000mAh battery, supported by 67W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.

That represents a substantial upgrade over the 5,100mAh battery found in Xiaomi's previous large foldable, the Mix Fold 4. It also gives the 18 Fold a notable capacity advantage over the 4,800mAh battery reported for Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8.

A distinctive dark red finish

The dark red version showcased at IFA was another standout feature of the Xiaomi 18 Fold. Under bright lighting, the finish shifts toward a deeper burgundy tone, giving the phone a more sophisticated appearance than a conventional bright red smartphone.

The color also brings to mind rumors surrounding darker red finishes for Apple's upcoming products. However, Apple is expected to favor more restrained color choices for its first foldable iPhone, so any direct comparison remains speculative for now.

Xiaomi 18 Fold launch date

The IFA 2026 appearance has revealed many of the Xiaomi 18 Fold's major hardware features, but several important details remain unknown.

Xiaomi is expected to officially unveil the device, including its pricing, memory and storage configurations and broader availability, at its September 7 launch event in China.

With Apple also expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone on September 9, September is shaping up to be a particularly important month for the next generation of foldable smartphones. With its wide display, triple Leica camera system, 6,000mAh battery and custom XRING O3 processor, the Xiaomi 18 Fold could emerge as one of the most interesting new entries in the foldable flagship market.