Xiaomi’s Second Gen Foldable is the Best Phone Available Only in China

Xiaomi released the second generation of its foldable phone in China a day after Samsung unveiled its own pair of foldable cellphones. The new phone has a Leica-powered camera system and a dual-sized display of 6.56 inches on the outside and 8.0 inches on the inside. The phone is now available in China for RMB 8,999 ($1,335) for a variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, placing it between the Samsung Fold 4 at $1,800 and the $890 Motorola Razr flip.

Xiaomi's foldable phone has better hardware specifications than Samsung's. For example, the inner display is bigger than the one on Fold 4 (8.02 inches vs. 7.6 inches) while the outside display is larger (6.56 inches vs. 6.2 inches) The Chinese tech company has added a 50-megapixel primary sensor, an ultra-wide 13-megapixel sensor, and a telephoto 8-megapixel sensor with 2x optical zoom, all driven by technology licensed by Leica. The system is 8K-capable and compatible with the Dolby Vision HDR format for recording high-definition video. With a vibrant look and authentic look, Xiaomi's self-proclaimed Leica-inspired photography aesthetics, read more like branding exercises than anything else. The business has accomplished this feat inside a slim frame that measures 5.4mm when opened and 11.2mm when folded. The Samsung Fold 4 has a thickness of 15.8mm when folded and 6.3mm when opened. Xiaomi, however, has a huge camera increase to show for itself. Both the Mix Fold 2 and the Galaxy Fold use Qualcomm's latest and greatest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor.

While the phone has a lot of potential, it will not pose a challenge to established brands like Samsung since it is now only available in China. The worldwide smartphone industry as a whole may be slowing down, but experts expect foldable experience growth. The Counterpoint research estimates that manufacturers will ship 16 million foldable this year and 26 million in 2019. Although Xiaomi has potential, Samsung still has a big lead in the market at the present time. "Samsung has been at the forefront of the industry from the very beginning, and we anticipate that trend to continue for the foreseeable future. Foldable smartphones from Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi, and Vivo are debuting, but they will only be available in China for the time being. According to Counterpoint Senior Analyst Jene Park, "Motorola may be the sole competitor in areas like the USA for the time being."