Xiaomi Fires Back at Apple and Huawei With Own-Chip Foldable Phone—and It’s Coming for Europe Too
Chinese tech giant Xiaomi launched a new flagship foldable phone with its own in-house processor, directly challenging Apple and Huawei in the premium smartphone market, while also confirming plans to sell its electric vehicles in Europe next year.
Xiaomi’s new 18 Fold features a 7.58-inch inner screen and runs on the company’s proprietary Xring O3 system-on-chip, a single processor that handles core computing tasks [237242]. The device also uses LPDDR6 memory chips made by ChangXin Memory Technologies, a Chinese supplier, as Beijing pushes domestic tech firms to reduce reliance on foreign semiconductors amid ongoing US export controls [237242].
The launch comes as rival Huawei unveiled its own first smartphone powered by a next-generation Kirin 9050 Pro chip, built on the company’s “Tau Scaling Law” architecture to boost performance without advanced foreign equipment [237262]. Huawei’s new device is a triple-folding phone, the first to use the Kirin 9050 Pro, which the company says contains no components sourced from US firms [237217]. Huawei has not announced a global release date, with the phone expected to go on sale first in China [237217].
Xiaomi, meanwhile, is expanding beyond phones. The company announced it will begin selling its electric vehicles in Europe next year, starting with Germany, where it has signed agreements with eight car dealer groups [235197]. The move comes despite new EU tariffs on China-made EVs and signals Xiaomi’s push to compete with established brands in the region [235197]. The company also unveiled an updated version of its premium Skynomad SUV, targeting buyers in China’s fiercely competitive electric vehicle market [237242].
Analysts say Xiaomi’s dual focus on advanced phones and cars reflects a strategy to build a connected ecosystem, where users can seamlessly switch between devices and vehicles [237242]. The success of that bet will depend on how well the 18 Fold performs against foldable rivals from Samsung and Huawei, and how quickly Xiaomi can scale up its EV production [237242].