BEIJING, May 5, 2026, 02:04 (China Standard Time)
- Fresh leaks suggest Xiaomi could be working on a book-style foldable, this time featuring its own custom silicon.
- A newer report links the same code to Xiaomi 18, disputing the earlier Mix 5 comeback claim.
- Names, rollout dates, and where these will be available worldwide are still up in the air.
Xiaomi’s upcoming flagship lineup took a turn Monday, as a fresh leak cast doubt on reports of a Mix 5 revival—suggesting instead that the device might actually be part of the Xiaomi 18 series. That puts the spotlight on two different rumors: a potential Xiaomi 17 Fold, and a Xiaomi 18 variant built around its camera hardware.
Timing’s key here, as Xiaomi looks to get a firmer foothold in the high-end hardware space—a segment where foldables, top-tier cameras, and custom chips matter more than packing in mid-range sales. Reuters had it last year: founder Lei Jun said Xiaomi kicked off mass production for its self-developed Xring O1 mobile chip and is committing at least 50 billion yuan over a decade-plus for chip design.
Product innovation could give demand a needed lift in China’s sluggish smartphone scene, analysts say. Omdia’s Lucas Zhong points to “meaningful innovation in flagship and foldable devices” as a likely stabilizer. For the first quarter of 2026, Omdia put Xiaomi at number five for mainland China shipments. Light Reading
BILD, referencing internal database records, says the foldable report revolves around a device tagged Q18, with the code name “Lhasa” and model number 2608BPX34C. According to BILD, the “PX” fits Xiaomi’s established foldable naming pattern. The early digits—2608—could be hinting at a possible August 2026 launch, while the closing “C” signals it’s aimed at China first. BILD
XimiTime, a site tracking Xiaomi developments and first to spot the code entry, now suggests the Q18 device may appear as either the Xiaomi Mix Fold 5 or Xiaomi 17 Fold. The report also points to an XRING O3 chip, following up on the Xring O1. Foldables—phones that open up into a larger, tablet-like screen—continue to draw interest.
Reports surfaced that Xiaomi plans to relaunch its mainline Mix series in global markets—Europe among them. According to Giga, what’s being called the Mix 5 is linked to a Q5 device with the code name “Hongkong” and looks set to feature an under-display camera. That would put the selfie lens beneath active screen pixels, instead of in a cutout. GIGA
That interpretation didn’t last long. On Monday, Gizmochina cited Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station, who dismissed the Mix 5 theory, saying there’s no Mix 5 device in the pipeline. Instead, according to the tipster, Q5 is probably just a codename for a regular flagship—potentially the Xiaomi 18.
This isn’t just a design tweak. Xiaomi’s Mix series has been the company’s playground for pushing display and camera tech, seen with the Mix 4, introduced in mainland China back in 2021. That model featured an under-panel camera—Xiaomi called the camera zone “virtually invisible,” according to The Verge at the time.
There’s at least some precedent for the rumored magnetic-lens feature—Xiaomi has teased similar tech before, though it never made it to a retail device. Back at MWC 2025, the company built a Modular Optical System from the ground up on a custom Xiaomi 15, snapping on a separate 35mm f/1.4 lens module with magnets and contacts. That module packed its own 100-megapixel 4/3-type sensor.
Competition remains fierce. According to Counterpoint figures cited by Gadgets 360, global foldable smartphone shipments climbed 14% year over year in the third quarter of 2025. Samsung recaptured about 64% of the market, thanks to strong demand for the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Huawei landed in second, while Vivo made gains in book-style foldables. Xiaomi, on the other hand, slid 54% from a year earlier during the same period.
There’s a risk of reading too much into these codes. Sure, database entries might signal actual projects, but details like phone names, chips, and regional rollouts often shift pre-announcement. The Q5 argument highlights just how fast an initial read can go sideways.
Right now, the picture is more limited: Xiaomi seems to be working on at least one foldable device, plus a distinct premium camera project that’s still being discussed. It’s not clear yet if buyers will end up with a Xiaomi 17 Fold, a new Mix Fold, or a Xiaomi 18 camera-centric flagship—those outcomes depend on official word from the company, not on whatever the internal code names suggest.
