Apple’s first foldable, iPhone Duo, and Xiaomi’s 18 Fold came out in the same week. The size is similar. The buying decision is not. One is sold worldwide from October. The other is on sale in China now and has no global date.
Size, weight and when you can buy it
Both phones use a short, wide fold. Closed, they are close to passport size. Open, the inner screen is a bit over 7.5 inches.
Apple’s spec page lists iPhone Duo at 7.6 inches inside and 5.4 inches outside. Open thickness is 5.2 mm. Closed thickness is 11.3 mm. Weight is 254 grams.
Xiaomi 18 Fold is 7.58 inches inside and 5.38 inches outside. Open thickness is about 5.0 mm. Closed thickness is about 10.7 mm. Weight is 219 grams. So Xiaomi is lighter by 35 grams.
Xiaomi started sales in China on September 10. The 12GB + 256GB model is 10,999 yuan. There is no confirmed U.S. or Europe launch.
iPhone Duo pre-orders start at 5:00 a.m. PT on October 16. It goes on sale October 23. U.S. coverage puts the 256GB model at $1,999. In China the same starting point has been listed at 15,999 yuan.
Display and build
Duo uses Super Retina XDR OLED on both sides, with ProMotion. The inner panel is 1878 x 2670. The outer panel is 1398 x 2034. The frame is Grade 5 titanium. Ceramic Shield 2 is on the front. Apple rates it IP68, 6 meters for 30 minutes.
Xiaomi uses LTPO AMOLED on both sides, 1-120Hz, peak 4,000 nits. The frame is aluminum. Water resistance is listed as IP58 / IP59, 1 meter for 30 minutes. The hinge is Xiaomi’s three-link “dragon bone” design.
If you drop phones a lot, or you take them into rain, Duo’s official rating is higher. If you care about pocket weight, Xiaomi is the lighter one.
Cameras and software
Duo has a 48MP Dual Fusion system: 48MP main and 48MP Ultra Wide. There is no telephoto lens on the spec sheet. Unlocking is Touch ID in the side button. Face ID is not used. The phone runs iOS 27. Apple Pencil (USB-C) is listed, but only as “later this year.”
Xiaomi 18 Fold has a Leica triple camera: 200MP main, 50MP 3.5x telephoto, 50MP ultrawide. There is a 16MP camera on each display. Software is HyperOS 4 on Android 17. A side fingerprint sensor is used.
Battery and daily use
Apple does not publish a mAh number for Duo. The spec page says up to 24 hours of typical use, up to 44 hours of video on the outer display, and up to 31 hours of video on the inner display. Charging is USB-C plus MagSafe.
Xiaomi lists a 6,000 mAh battery, 67W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. On paper this is the stronger charge-speed package. Duo’s video-playback hours are still long, but you cannot compare mAh directly because Apple does not give one.
How to choose
Buy Duo if you need iMessage, FaceTime, iCloud and an international warranty. Also buy it if water resistance and titanium matter more than a telephoto camera.
Look at Xiaomi 18 Fold if you are in China, want a 3.5x zoom, want 16GB RAM options, or want the phone this month instead of late October. Importing it to the U.S. means no official Xiaomi warranty and no confirmed global ROM plan.
If you already live in Apple’s apps, switching to HyperOS for a lighter foldable is a bigger change than the spec table shows. If you already use Android and you can buy in China, Xiaomi is cheaper and already shipping.
Photo: Apple / Xiaomi
Source: Apple, Xiaomi, GSMArena
