TL;DR
As of September 10, 2026, the foldable flagship market has three players: the Huawei Mate XT 2 (launched Sept 7, 2026, from CNY 19,999) has the largest screen at 10.2 inches in tri-fold form; the Xiaomi 18 Fold (launched Sept 7, 2026, from CNY 10,999, on sale Sept 10) is the lightest at 219g and the cheapest; the Apple iPhone Duo (launched Sept 9, 2026, from CNY 15,999, shipping Oct 23) pairs a 2nm A20 Pro with a 7.6-inch hole-free inner display.
Overview of each device
Huawei Mate XT 2 Ultimate Design: launched September 7, 2026 as the world's first tri-fold phone; unfolded tri-screen mode reaches 10.2 inches; business-flagship positioning; CNY 19,999 starting price in mainland China.
Xiaomi 18 Fold: Xiaomi's first mid-fold flagship, launched September 7, 2026, with the in-house Xuanjie O3 chip and a 6,000mAh Jinshajiang battery; at 219g it is the lightest of the three; official sale began at 10:00 a.m. on September 10, 2026.
Apple iPhone Duo: Apple's first foldable iPhone, launched September 9, 2026 (Eastern Time); book-style inward fold; 7.6-inch hole-free inner display with an under-display camera; powered by the 2nm A20 Pro chip; pre-orders October 16, shipping October 23.
Key specifications comparison
| Dimension | Huawei Mate XT 2 | Xiaomi 18 Fold | Apple iPhone Duo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch date | 2026-09-07 | 2026-09-07 | 2026-09-09 (ET) |
| Form factor | Tri-fold (10.2-inch unfolded) | Mid-fold | Book-style inward fold |
| Processor | Kirin 9050 Pro | Xuanjie O3 | A20 Pro (2nm) |
| Inner display | 10.2 in, 2232×3184 (tri-screen) | 7.58 in, √2:1 ratio | 7.6 in Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Outer display | 6.5 in, 2442×1140 | 5.38 in | 5.4 in Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Peak brightness | 6,500 nits (outer) | 4,000 nits official (APL30%) | 3,000 nits (both) |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | Up to 120Hz (ProMotion) |
| Battery | 5,600mAh (typical) | 6,000mAh | Not disclosed |
| Wired charging | 66W | 67W | Not disclosed |
| Wireless charging | 50W | 50W | Not disclosed |
| Weight | approx. 299g | 219g | Not disclosed |
| Closed thickness | 12.3mm | 10.68mm | Not disclosed |
| Unfolded thickness | 3.5mm thinnest | 5.02mm | 5.2mm (official) |
| Storage | from 16GB+256GB | from 12GB+256GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB |
| CN starting price | CNY 19,999 | CNY 10,999 | CNY 15,999 (256GB) |
| Availability | Launched | On sale Sept 10, 2026 | Pre-order Oct 16, ships Oct 23 |
| Highlights | Tri-fold 10.2-in screen, IP58/59 | Leica triple cam 200MP main, ceramic edition | Under-display camera, Grade 5 titanium, 48MP Fusion dual cam |
Key differences
Form and display: the Huawei Mate XT 2 is the only tri-fold, reaching 10.2 inches unfolded; the iPhone Duo's 7.6-inch inner display has no punch-hole thanks to an under-display FaceTime camera, with matching aspect ratios on both screens; the Xiaomi 18 Fold has a 7.58-inch inner display.
Performance platform: the iPhone Duo uses a 2nm A20 Pro (6-core CPU + 7-core GPU, 32-core NPU); the Huawei Mate XT 2 uses the Kirin 9050 Pro; the Xiaomi 18 Fold uses the in-house Xuanjie O3.
Battery and weight: the Xiaomi 18 Fold has the largest battery (6,000mAh) and is the lightest at 219g; the Huawei Mate XT 2 has a 5,600mAh battery and is the heaviest at about 299g; the iPhone Duo's battery capacity and weight were not disclosed as of September 10, 2026.
Price ladder: mainland China starting prices run Xiaomi CNY 10,999 < Apple CNY 15,999 (256GB) < Huawei CNY 19,999; the iPhone Duo starts at USD 1,999 in the US, below the pre-launch market expectation of about USD 2,500.
Recommendations
- Largest screen and productivity form factor: Huawei Mate XT 2 (10.2-inch tri-fold, IP58/59).
- Lightness, battery life and value: Xiaomi 18 Fold (219g, 6,000mAh, from CNY 10,999, already on sale).
- Apple ecosystem, cameras and 2nm performance: iPhone Duo (from CNY 15,999, ships October 23, 2026).
Sources and references
- Huawei official: HUAWEI Mate XT 2 Ultimate Design specs: link
- IT Home: Xiaomi 18 Fold mid-fold phone launched, from CNY 10,999: link
- Shenzhen Economic Daily: Apple's first foldable iPhone Duo, from CNY 15,999: link
- PConline: Apple iPhone Duo launched: link
- 36Kr: Apple's foldable iPhone arrives, top spec CNY 26,499: link
- NetEase Tech: Apple iPhone Duo launched, from CNY 15,999: link