Xiaomi’s next foldable may be arriving sooner than expected.
The Mix Fold 5 has reportedly been certified for sale in China under the model number 2608BPX34C. The timing of that certification is what makes things interesting, as it has shown up before any of the upcoming Xiaomi 18 series devices.
That detail alone suggests Xiaomi could be planning to break from its usual launch pattern. Instead of debuting alongside the flagship Xiaomi 18 lineup in September, the Mix Fold 5 may land earlier, with mid-August now a realistic window given Xiaomi’s typical product cycle.
Another key reason for the shifted timing comes down to hardware strategy. Unlike the Xiaomi 18 series, the Mix Fold 5 won’t be waiting for Qualcomm’s next flagship chip. Instead, it is expected to use Xiaomi’s own Xring O3 processor, a successor to last year’s Xring O1.
That said, this is very much expected to be a China-only launch; if it comes out internationally, we’d expect a typical Snapdragon or MediaTek chipset.
On the hardware side, the Mix Fold 5 is shaping up to be a fairly significant upgrade. Reports point to a 7.5 to 7.6-inch inner display with an improved, nearly seamless crease design, along with a 200MP main camera and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. Battery capacity is also expected to land at around 6,000mAh, with support for wireless charging included.
Software could also be a talking point. The device is rumoured to debut with a new version of HyperOS based on Android 17. This could potentially make it one of the first Xiaomi devices to ship with the updated system out of the box.
However, all of these upgrades may come at a cost. Early estimates suggest the Mix Fold 5 could be priced at around CNY 10,000 (roughly $1,479). This would put it firmly in ultra-premium territory even by foldable standards.
For now, Xiaomi hasn’t officially confirmed launch plans, but the certification timing strongly hints that the Mix Fold 5 may not be waiting around for the Xiaomi 18 series.
