Apple and Xiaomi unveiled their latest foldable phones just two days apart, and the two devices share a similar passport-style shape with matching 7.6-inch inner and 5.4-inch outer displays at 120Hz. That is where the hardware parity ends. The iPhone Duo sells for $1,999 and launches October 23, while the Xiaomi 18 Fold is priced around $1,640 and is currently available only in China.
Xiaomi's device undercuts Apple on price while offering several hardware advantages: a lighter 219-gram frame, a brighter 4,000-nit display, 16GB of RAM, a 200-megapixel main camera with optical zoom, and a 6,000mAh battery with faster wired and wireless charging. Apple's Duo is heavier at 254 grams, has a 3,000-nit screen, 12GB of RAM, a dual 48-megapixel camera without optical zoom, and an undisclosed battery capacity.
Apple's strengths are durability and software. The Duo uses a titanium frame, Ceramic Shield glass, and carries an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, while Xiaomi did not share an IP rating. The iPhone also runs iOS 27 with Split View multitasking, Siri AI, and upcoming Apple Pencil support, which the source says is a software advantage over Android. The real deciding factor for many buyers will be availability: Xiaomi does not officially sell in the US, making the iPhone Duo the only one of the two that most American consumers can buy through normal channels.