Did you hear about the new Xiaomi 18 Fold? Maybe not, but this foldable phone is getting a lot of attention on YouTube for “beating” the upcoming iPhone Duo at its own game. Here’s just some of the ways it wins.
- It’s lighter
- It’s thinner
- It has a telephoto camera
- It has a bigger battery
- It charges faster
- It’s better at multitasking
- It has a brighter screen
- It’s hundreds cheaper
As you’ll see in the very slick video by Mrwhosetheboss, which at last count has over 16 million views, Xiaomi has superior hardware. On paper. But when he digs deeper a bunch of flaws emerge in this would be iPhone Duo killer.
For starters, the phone is made of less durable aluminum, versus the stronger titanium frame on the iPhone Duo. And that durability advantage extends to the Duo’s IP68 rating for water and dust protection, which the Xiaomi lacks.
In addition, the crease is more noticeable on the Xiaomi 18 Fold because it lacks the Duo’s nano-texture display. Even worse, Mrwhosetheboss found that just opening and closing the Xiaomi foldable resulted in unsettling clicking sounds.
But the real reason the iPhone Duo is superior is the software experience, specifically how Apple optimized its OS and apps for the foldable form factor. It looks like Xiaomi just threw its regular OS at a foldable, with sometimes awkward and ugly results.
This is the same reason why the iPhone Duo will likely beat all other Android foldables once it’s released: no other company focuses as obsessively on how the hardware and software work together.
Hardware + Software innovation
For example, Apple redesigned the dock on the iPhone so it sits on the right side, making it easier to reach both when the display is closed and open. The same thing goes with the controls for apps.
This is admittedly a bummer for left-handed people, but it is a good use of the available space and wider aspect ratio, so you can see more of your content.
In addition, Apple has optimized the software so that apps can adapt based on the “pose” the device is in. For example, when you turn the iPhone Duo upside down in tent mode, it can automatically morph into an alarm clock. And it emits a soft glow when your alarm goes off.
Apple has also redesigned iOS 27 so that the iPhone Duo reacts as you fold the device. If you fold the phone half way while in Safari, for example, a keyboard will automatically appear at the bottom of the display. And when it’s stood up vertically, you can display your calendar on the left and favorite photos on the right, just like one of the best digital photo frames.
Apple is making an API available for developers as well to enable them to make apps that can “read” the angle of the hinge, and in an interview with Donald Decodes on YouTube Apple’s Craig Federighi confirmed it’s accurate to within 5 degrees. But he said that most developers will simply be focusing on various pose states for the device, like the book pose, table pose or tent pose.
“We make those things so that as a developer you’re not having to operate on how many degrees [it’s] open,” said Federighi. “We can deliver a really standard and consistent experience across apps.”
Meanwhile, Samsung abandoned its similar Flex mode for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, reserving this feature only for the Fold 8 Ultra.
“There are choices that Samsung previously tried that Apple is revisiting, including hinges that open at different angles and under-display selfie cameras,” said Avi Greengart, founder and lead analyst at Techsponential. “The different hinge postures are well-supported in iOS27 with interface elements and are a clear win for Apple.”
A seamless transition, but what about multitasking?
Apple has taken a lot of heat for how much buzz the transition animation has gotten that takes you from the inner to the outer display. But it does make the device feel magical.
And if this effect was just eye candy, then you wouldn’t have developers racing to copy the effect within the first day.
To be fair, the iPhone Duo is limited when it comes to multitasking. You can only run two apps side by side, whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 8 lets you run three apps at once, plus put floating windows on top. The Xiaomi 18 Fold lets you run up to eight apps.
So it remains to be seen if the Duo is versatile enough in this category.
However, I do give Apple credit for how it enabled Split View. The two sides feel like independent desktops or workspaces. It feels natural when you’re using it.
The iPhone Duo app difference
Apple hasn’t shared much in the way of third-party applications yet, but what I’ve seen so far looks promising.
On Slack, for example, you’ll see your rooms and contacts on the left and messages on the right. The last time I checked, Slack was just a stretched out phone app on Android foldables with a ton of wasted space. And Zoom lets you easily see the content being shared and other call participants down below.
Apple's software experience is extremely polished on the Duo, but Android works fine on foldables,” Greengart said. “The real test will be whether Apple can get developers to update their apps so that the entire experience is fluid and optimized; that's the area where Android falls short.”
I also think it’s telling that Netflix has an iPhone Duo-optimized app on day one for this device, while it refused to make one for the Vision Pro at first. Yes, $2,000 is expensive for a phone, but I don’t think Netflix would have bothered with a Duo app unless it believed this device was going to take off.
Bottom line
It’s clear that the iPhone Duo has some drawbacks, especially for its $2,000 price. It’s heavier and thicker than other foldable phones, and you don’t get iPhone 18 Pro features like a telephoto zoom.
But the real reason that this device will put other foldable phones on notice is how the hardware and software work together. And I think that will spur more innovation on the Android side, which is good for everyone.
