Just 2 Days After Apple Unveils iPhone Duo, Xiaomi 18 Fold Goes on Sale; 200MP Camera, 6,000mAh Battery and Lower Price…

The battle for the premium foldable smartphone market is heating up. Just two days after Apple unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, Xiaomi has started selling its latest 18 Fold across China.

Xiaomi originally unveiled the 18 Fold on September 7, getting ahead of Apple’s September 9 launch event, where the company introduced the iPhone Duo alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series and other products.

But Xiaomi has another advantage its foldable is already available to consumers in China.

Apple’s iPhone Duo, meanwhile, is scheduled to go on sale on October 23.

Xiaomi 18 Fold and iPhone Duo have something in common

One of the most interesting aspects of the two devices is their overall form factor.

Both the Xiaomi 18 Fold and iPhone Duo adopt a relatively short and wide folding design rather than the taller proportions seen on some existing foldables.

There are noticeable differences, though.

Xiaomi’s device features more rounded edges and a slightly wider body, helping distinguish it visually from Apple’s first foldable.

Xiaomi describes the 18 Fold as its first mid-size foldable smartphone, with the company attempting to strike a balance between portability and the larger screen experience buyers expect from a foldable.

When closed, the handset is roughly the size of a passport. Open it up and users get a tablet-like 7.58-inch display.

The phone weighs 219 grams and measures just 5.02mm thick when unfolded.

Two displays and Xiaomi’s own XRING O3 chip

The Xiaomi 18 Fold features a 7.58-inch primary folding display accompanied by a 5.38-inch cover screen.

Under the hood is another notable component Xiaomi’s XRING O3 processor.

The foldable can be configured with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on the variant.

Buyers also have three storage capacities to choose from: 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.

That means the top-end configuration combines 16GB RAM with 1TB of internal storage, putting the device firmly in flagship territory.

Huge 6,000mAh battery inside the foldable

Battery capacity is another area where the Xiaomi 18 Fold stands out.

Despite its slim folding construction, Xiaomi has managed to fit a 6,000mAh battery inside the handset.

A large battery could prove particularly valuable on a foldable because its expansive inner screen can encourage longer periods of gaming, video streaming, multitasking and productivity.

Actual endurance, however, will depend on factors including display settings, software optimisation and usage patterns.

200MP Leica camera headlines the rear setup

Xiaomi has also given its new foldable serious camera hardware.

The 18 Fold features three rear cameras carrying Leica branding.

Leading the system is a massive 200-megapixel primary camera, accompanied by a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 50-megapixel telephoto camera.

That setup suggests Xiaomi is attempting to avoid one of the compromises traditionally associated with foldables, where camera hardware can sometimes take a back seat to the folding design.

ALSO READ : Google Pixel 11 Pro XL Review: Google Isn’t Chasing the Fastest Phone and That’s What Makes This Flagship Different…

With a high-resolution main sensor and dedicated telephoto camera, the 18 Fold is positioned as a premium camera phone as much as a productivity-focused foldable.

Xiaomi 18 Fold is significantly cheaper than iPhone Duo

Perhaps the most eye-catching comparison comes down to price.

The Xiaomi 18 Fold starts at approximately $1,540 in China, while Apple’s iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the US.

Direct price comparisons across different markets should be treated cautiously because of taxes, regional pricing and currency differences, but the gap still highlights Xiaomi’s aggressive positioning in the premium foldable segment.

The standard Xiaomi 18 Fold is offered in four memory configurations:

12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB, 16GB + 512GB and 16GB + 1TB.

Buyers can choose from Black, White and Red, while Xiaomi is also offering a premium Ceramic version.

The Ceramic model is available exclusively with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage.

Can you buy Xiaomi 18 Fold in India?

Not yet.

For now, the Xiaomi 18 Fold is exclusive to China, and Xiaomi has not confirmed an Indian release in the information available so far.

That means consumers in India and other international markets will have to wait to see whether Xiaomi decides to expand availability.

The timing of its Chinese sale, however, could hardly be more interesting.

With Apple finally entering the foldable smartphone category through the iPhone Duo, competition in the segment is likely to become significantly more intense. Xiaomi has not only unveiled its alternative but has managed to put it into consumers’ hands weeks before Apple’s device reaches stores.

On paper, the 200MP Leica camera, 6,000mAh battery, 7.58-inch folding display and lower starting price give the Xiaomi 18 Fold plenty of ammunition.

The bigger question now is whether Xiaomi will take the fight beyond China and bring the 18 Fold to India and other global markets.