Xiaomi is reportedly exploring a new smartphone concept that could bring the wider screen format of foldable devices to a conventional slab-style handset. As the foldable smartphone market continues to expand, manufacturers are experimenting with different screen designs and form factors. According to a new leak, Xiaomi is developing a regular smartphone that could feature display proportions similar to those found on wide foldable devices, but without a folding mechanism.
Xiaomi Reportedly Working on a Wide-Screen Slab Phone
Xiaomi is developing a conventional smartphone with a wider display. The leaked information suggests that the device could adopt screen proportions similar to the cover displays of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Apple’s iPhone Duo.
However, the tipster has not revealed any details about the phone’s hardware specifications or expected launch date.
The rumoured smartphone could also feature a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, similar to the one expected on the iPhone Duo. Apple’s foldable device is reportedly set to use Touch ID instead of the company’s newer Face ID technology.
Xiaomi 18 Fold Could Offer a Design Reference
The recently launched Xiaomi 18 Fold provides an idea of the wider screen format that the company could bring to its traditional smartphone lineup.
The foldable features a 5.38-inch cover display with an aspect ratio close to 3:2. This gives it a broader appearance compared to the taller displays commonly found on conventional smartphones.
It remains unclear whether Xiaomi’s rumoured slab-style handset will share internal hardware with the Xiaomi 18 Fold or simply adopt a similar wide-screen design.
Xiaomi 18 Fold Specifications and Features
For reference, the Xiaomi 18 Fold comes with a 5.38-inch AMOLED cover display featuring a 120Hz refresh rate. Its inner foldable AMOLED screen measures 7.58 inches and also supports a 120Hz refresh rate.
The device is powered by Xiaomi’s 3nm deca-core Xring O3 AI flagship chipset. It is available with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of UFS 4.1 internal storage.
In the camera department, the Xiaomi 18 Fold features a Leica-backed triple rear camera system. It includes a 200-megapixel primary sensor, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. The device also has 16-megapixel front cameras on both its inner and outer displays.
The foldable is backed by a 6,000mAh battery with support for 67W wired and 50W wireless charging.