Xiaomi’s upcoming 18 Fold is finally starting to show itself, and there is plenty to like on paper. It will reportedly be a wide-format foldable, powered by Xiaomi’s new Xring O3 chip, with the company moving away from its earlier Mix Fold branding.
But look beyond the specifications, and something about the design feels remarkably familiar.
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Recent images of the Xiaomi 18 Fold show a wide, almost square book-style form factor. That is strikingly similar to the design Apple is rumoured to be adopting for its first foldable iPhone, which is expected to have a wider passport-like shape and a roughly 5.5-inch outer display with a 7.8-inch inner screen.
And honestly, I don’t think the resemblance is accidental.
Xiaomi has done this before
To anyone who has covered consumer tech over the last decade, this strategy isn’t surprising. Xiaomi has a long-running relationship with Apple – one that goes beyond simply admiring its products.
Lei Jun has openly spoken about being heavily influenced by Steve Jobs and Apple, saying Jobs was a major inspiration for Xiaomi. The company’s products, presentations and even parts of its retail experience draw comparisons with Apple.
That history makes the Xiaomi 18 Fold harder to view in isolation.
The problem isn’t that Xiaomi has adopted a wider foldable. Wide foldables are hardly Apple’s invention. The problem is how closely the overall design direction appears to follow the biggest upcoming Apple product of the year.
Riding the Apple Hype Train
Let’s not sugarcoat it: the Xiaomi 18 Fold completely lacks a distinct identity of its own.
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This is where I think Xiaomi has missed an opportunity.
The company is capable of original hardware engineering. Its new in-house Xring O3 chip is evidence of that ambition, and Xiaomi has spent billions building its own silicon capabilities.
Yet the 18 Fold appears to be borrowing heavily from the visual language surrounding Apple’s foldable before Apple has even officially shown it.
And Xiaomi isn’t alone. Android brands have repeatedly borrowed familiar Apple design cues because familiarity sells. The thinking is obvious: make an Android phone feel a little like an iPhone, and perhaps some iPhone buyers will feel more comfortable switching.
But Xiaomi is now one of the world’s biggest smartphone makers. It shouldn’t need Apple’s shadow to define its most ambitious foldable.
The Xiaomi 18 Fold could have been an opportunity to establish a new design identity. Instead, at least from these early images, it looks like Xiaomi is once again trying to make Apple’s future work in its favour.
That may be smart business.
It just isn’t very original.
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