Xiaomi just took the wraps off its newest smartphone design at a big product event in China. The new Xiaomi 18 Fold arrives just two days before Apple is expected to show off its very first folding iPhone. This new wide format device packs massive dual screens and premium camera hardware, clearly aiming to pull eager buyers away from the incoming foldable competition.
The new phone brings big screens and a massive battery
The Xiaomi 18 Fold features a book-style design with a 7.58-inch inner screen and a 5.38-inch outer display. Both screens get super bright, maxing out at 4,000 nits, which makes reading outside super easy. It runs on a brand-new XRING O3 chip built by Xiaomi, stepping away from standard processor options.
Powering all this hardware is a large 6,000 mAh battery. Users can charge it up quickly using 67W wired power or 50W wireless charging. You also get a solid camera setup designed with Leica. The back holds a massive 200 megapixel main shooter, a 50 megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 50 megapixel telephoto lens that offers a 3.5x optical zoom.
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Buyers face high prices as a major launch event approaches
Getting your hands on this new phone will cost quite a bit of money. The base model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage starts at 10,999 yuan, which converts to around $1,638. A special ceramic edition maxes out at roughly $2,384. Right now, Xiaomi plans to keep this phone exclusive to the Chinese market.
This release puts pressure on the upcoming Surprise and Shine event happening on September 9. Rumors suggest the rival foldable from the competition might carry a price tag above $2,000 and feature only two rear cameras. We will also likely see the new iPhone Ultra make an appearance on stage, giving phone buyers plenty of expensive new choices this fall.
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