Xiaomi launches 18 Fold with home-grown chip to challenge Apple, Huawei

Xiaomi launched the 18 Fold, a foldable phone with its proprietary Xring O3 chip, on Sept 7, intensifying competition against Apple and Huawei in the premium smartphone market. The device features a 7.58-inch inner display, LPDDR6 memory from ChangXin Memory Technologies, and a reinforced hinge for durability. Priced from 10,999 yuan, sales begin Sept 10. Xiaomi has earmarked 50 billion yuan for proprietary chip development, with 200 billion yuan planned for R&D over five years. The launch coincides with Huawei’s Mate XT 2, priced from 19,999 yuan, and Apple’s expected foldable iPhone debut on Sept 9. The global foldable segment is projected to surpass 100 million cumulative shipments this year, despite an overall smartphone market facing a 12.4% shipment decline.