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Monkey see, monkey do: Xiaomi's new foldable faces delay, just like the iPhone Fold

But this delay will move it closer to the Galaxy Z Fold 8, not to Cupertino's star.

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By Sebastian Pier

Published: Apr 07, 2026, 4:06 AM

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A man on stage presenting a Xiaomi phone.

The last book-style foldable by Xiaomi was unveiled in 2024. | Image by Xiaomi

Apple's first foldable – the alleged iPhone Fold (that's an unofficial moniker) – will be late, and so will another upcoming flagship foldable, the one made by Xiaomi.

This is Xiaomi's big return to the book-style foldable realm since it failed to release such a handset last year.

Don't expect it too soon

The upcoming phone will have to face plenty of rivals. | Image by Xiaomi

While there was never really an official release date attached to this upcoming Xiaomi foldable, many believed the unveiling was supposed to take place in May.

That's when the world will probably witness the birth of the Xiaomi 17 Max – a 6.9-inch giant that's rumored to pack a large battery.

The new Max (that's not a Pro Max, but only "Max", keep in mind) model was rumored to be accompanied by the unnamed Xiaomi 17 Fold (another unofficial moniker), but that's now gone through the window.

What do you expect out of Xiaomi's next foldable?

A creaseless inner display.

To excel in terms of cameras.

To come with a big battery.

To be a performance monster.

To be thin and elegant.

All of the above.

None of the above.

5 Votes

The new dates

Per the popular X tipster Kartikey Singh, Xiaomi's new book-style foldable won't be announced in May but at a point around "early July".

Xiaomi's next generation Foldable Phone was expected to get announced alongside Xiaomi 17 Max next month, but it seems it might be pushed back with now the new date is tentatively around early July~
— Kartikey Singh (@That_Kartikey) April 6, 2026

Of course, nothing is denied or confirmed by Xiaomi right now. But I think this rumor might turn out to be true.

It's almost mid-April now and if Xiaomi was to drop this bad boy in May, we'd have to get more leaks by now.

Why July?

There isn't any information on whether this (rumored) delay is because of technological hiccups. It could also be because the iPhone Fold was also pushed further away in time (it's now expected in December, not in September).

But I think that Xiaomi's upcoming book-style foldable is deliberately getting delayed until July – and that's early July, to be precise – because of Samsung.

The upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 (and the eventual Galaxy Z Fold Wide) will most likely materialize in late July. If Xiaomi's bending phone comes on July 3, for example, that'll give it plenty of time to try to convince potential buyers that it's not worth it to wait for the Z Fold 8 a couple of weeks more.

Anything else?

While the aforementioned tipster makes the unveiling date claim, there are no detailed specs that've leaked. The only thing that is shared has to do with the chipset on the upcoming Xiaomi foldable – it'll probably be the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

That's only natural, since almost all Android flagships (and high-end book-style foldables are flagships indeed) crave this particular silicon.

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Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.

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