Xiaomi's upcoming wide 18 Fold leaks in new images

Xiaomi is preparing to launch the Xiaomi 18 Fold, and a new leak from Weibo could give us our first look at the phone's hardware ahead of launch. The leak shows off what could be a prototype model in a burgundy colourway and a new wide body design. Xiaomi has announced that it would launch the Xiaomi Fold 18 in September 2026. 

The leaked images come from a Weibo account, showing off the foldable from two different angles. We see the rear of the device, showing off its cameras and the Xiaomi logo. We also see it from an off angle view, showing off the device's thickness when completely folded. It's also shown off in a burgundy colorway, one which we've seen with Xiaomi's CEO Lei Jun. The post says this is an engineering model, with the final version possibly looking different.

The Xiaomi Fold 18 is expected to debut with a 6,000mAh battery and wireless charging, a 200MP primary rear camera, and a 7.6-inch display. No other specs have been leaked, but we can expect high-end specs to compete with other foldables on the market.

And speaking of other foldables on the market, they have certainly been getting wider and wider over the year in response to Apple's expected foldable debut. Although the form factor did have some wide entrants at the start -- the original Google Pixel Fold and the Microsoft Surface Duo come to mind -- the market had settled around taller and slimmer phones in the intervening years. With reports of Apple adopting a squat and short form-factor, foldable makers like Huawei and Samsung have adopted that style of foldable, and rumours abound of Oppo joining the party when it drops its Find N7.

That makes Xiaomi's apparent design shift particularly interesting. If this leaked engineering model is representative of the final Xiaomi 18 Fold, the company could be following a broader change in how manufacturers think a foldable should feel when opened.

Apple hasn't even launched its foldable yet, but its influence on the category is already becoming apparent. The company has a habit of making existing smartphone trends feel like the new normal, and foldables could be next.