Xiaomi is gearing up to enter the competitive foldable market with its tri-fold smartphone, following in the footsteps of Huawei. Recently, the company filed a patent with China’s Intellectual Property Administration, unveiling a design similar to Huawei’s Mate XT. This new patent, published on September 3 under CN308817132S, reveals Xiaomi’s potential move into the innovative Z-folding form factor, making it a strong contender in the race for foldable smartphone dominance.
A Closer Look at Xiaomi’s Tri-Fold Design
The patent images provide a glimpse of Xiaomi’s upcoming tri-fold smartphone, which features three display panels of varying sizes to offer users both portability and an extensive viewing experience. The Z-shaped folding mechanism resembles that of the Huawei Mate XT, allowing the device to fold into a compact form while offering a spacious display when fully unfolded.
This patent, issued on December 21, 2022, suggests that Xiaomi’s first tri-foldable may hit the market under the MIX lineup by 2025. The patent also reveals a horizontally placed rear camera island featuring three cameras, differing from the four-camera setup on Xiaomi’s existing Mix Fold 4. The tri-fold is slightly thicker than Huawei’s Mate X2, though Xiaomi is expected to refine this design before launch.
Xiaomi’s Evolution in Foldable Technology
Xiaomi’s journey into foldable technology dates back to 2019, when the company experimented with dual inward-folding designs. However, this latest patent marks a significant departure, adopting a more advanced Z-shaped folding mechanism. Xiaomi is now poised to challenge Huawei and other tech giants, like Samsung and Honor, who are exploring tri-fold and rollable smartphones.
The Competitive Landscape of Tri-Fold Smartphones
Huawei’s Mate XT, the world’s first commercially available tri-fold smartphone, has already garnered 6.3 million reservations, highlighting the high demand for this form factor. Despite a steep price, Huawei’s success with the Mate XT has sparked interest across the industry, with scalpers even capitalizing on its limited availability. Analysts predict that Huawei may need help to meet its initial goal of delivering 1 million units, underscoring the excitement surrounding this next step in smartphone design.
Xiaomi’s entry into the tri-fold market is no surprise, considering the growing consumer interest in innovative foldable devices. Industry insiders speculate that Xiaomi could showcase a prototype of its tri-fold smartphone at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025, marking the company’s official entry into this niche yet rapidly expanding market.
Tri-Fold Phones: A New Tech Trend?
While foldable phones are already famous, the arrival of tri-fold smartphones sets the stage for a new era of mobile technology. Alongside Huawei, companies like Honor, Samsung, and Xiaomi embrace this design. Honor’s tri-fold is rumored to be only 10mm thick, while Samsung is developing a rollable-style phone.
As the foldable smartphone market continues to evolve, Xiaomi’s tri-fold device could play a pivotal role in reshaping the competition. With innovation at the forefront, 2025 might be the year we see the tri-fold battle reach its peak.
