Xiaomi unveiled a second-generation foldable phone on Thursday, capping off a busy week of foldable phone launches that saw Samsung and Motorola unveil their own foldable phones.
The Mix Fold 2, a sequel to the Chinese company an introductory flip phone, is a book-style foldable that Xiaomi is marketing for its ultra-slim design, among other features. When folded, the device measures 11.2mm, making it the world’s thinnest book-style foldable phone. It’s roughly 4mm thinner than Samsung’s recently released Galaxy Z Fold 4. Xiaomi credits its “micro water drop” hinge for helping to achieve a slim design that allows for a tighter folding of the flexible display panel into the 8.8mm-high hinge structure.
The Mix Fold 2 includes two displays: a 6.56-inch lid panel that expands into an 8-inch inner screen when you open it. As for the cameras, there is a single 20-megapixel front-facing sensor and three rear cameras, including a telephoto camera.
The Mix Fold 2 is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen Plus 1 chipset, the same one found in the latest foldable phones from Samsung and Motorola. It also has a Harman Kardon dual-speaker setup, a 4,500 mAh dual-cell battery, and 67-watt fast charging support. The base version of the Mi Mix Folds is priced at 8,999 yuan, which translates to roughly $1,330, £1,090 or AU$1,860. It will only be released in mainland China.
Despite this week’s flurry of launches, foldable phones represent only a small portion of the overall smartphone market, although shipments rose dramatically in 2021 compared to 2020. According to the International Data Corporation, 7.1 million were shipped in 2021 foldable phones, representing a 264.3% increase since 2020.
The Mix Fold 2 was announced at a virtual event alongside a human-sized robot and a range of other Xiaomi products, including a new tablet and a budget phone.