Apple and Xiaomi have opened a new chapter in the premium foldable smartphone market, with the tech giants unveiling competing wide-screen devices aimed at redefining how consumers use foldable phones.

Apple introduced the iPhone Duo on September 9, 2026, with a starting price of $1,999, while Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi 18 Fold in China with a starting price of $1,540.

Both devices adopt a short, wide “mid-fold” design that opens into a large display similar in proportions to a sheet of paper.

SEE MORE: iPhone XR vs iPhone 17 Pro: The Truth Behind Nigeria’s ‘Upgraded iPhone’ Scandal

However, the companies have taken markedly different approaches to hardware, cameras, battery life and software.

Xiaomi pushes hardware advantage

The Xiaomi 18 Fold comes with a 7.58-inch LTPO AMOLED inner display, supporting up to 120Hz refresh rates and a claimed peak brightness of 4,000 nits.

It is also slightly thinner and considerably lighter than Apple’s offering, weighing 219 grammes compared with the iPhone Duo’s 254 grammes.

Photography is another major strength of the Xiaomi device. It features a 200-megapixel Leica-branded main camera, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera.

The device is powered by Xiaomi’s 3nm XRING O3 processor and packs a 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery. It supports 67W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, with a charger included in the box.

Apple focuses on software and design

Apple’s iPhone Duo features a slightly larger 7.6-inch inner OLED display with a resolution of 2670 × 1878 pixels and up to 120Hz ProMotion.

One of Apple’s major design decisions is the use of an under-display camera on the inner screen, allowing the large folding display to remain free of a camera cut-out.

The device uses a Grade 5 titanium frame and a complex hinge system containing more than 100 components.

Rather than matching Xiaomi’s camera megapixel count, Apple has focused on computational photography and features that make use of the two-screen design.

These include Duo Preview, which allows subjects to see themselves on the outer display while being photographed, as well as Smart Take, Dual Capture and Duo FaceTime.

Different approaches to multitasking

The biggest distinction between the two devices may be their software.

The iPhone Duo runs iOS 27 and introduces a fold-specific interface with side navigation, a redesigned Dynamic Island and Split View, allowing users to run two apps or two windows side by side.

Xiaomi’s HyperOS 4, based on Android 17, takes a more aggressive multitasking approach. The company says users can run up to six apps in split-screen configurations alongside a floating window.

Xiaomi has also adapted more than 200 applications for the phone’s wide display.

However, the 18 Fold is currently a China-only model and ships with the Chinese version of HyperOS, meaning Google Play, Google Maps and Gmail are not included by default.

Price and availability

Price could become one of Xiaomi’s strongest advantages.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, while the Xiaomi 18 Fold starts at CNY 10,999, making Xiaomi’s entry model substantially cheaper based on the quoted prices.

Apple plans to begin selling the iPhone Duo in more than 70 countries from October 23, 2026, while Xiaomi’s 18 Fold is currently limited to China.

For international buyers, however, the two devices present different challenges. The iPhone Duo uses eSIM only, while the Xiaomi 18 Fold supports two physical nano-SIM cards but lacks eSIM support.

Two different visions for foldables

The comparison highlights two competing philosophies in the premium foldable market.

Xiaomi is putting its weight behind camera hardware, battery capacity, charging speed, display brightness and price, while Apple is relying on iOS, industrial design and software built specifically around the two-screen experience.

For consumers, the choice may ultimately come down to priorities: Xiaomi offers more aggressive hardware specifications for the money, while Apple is betting that a tightly integrated software experience will make its foldable more useful every time it is opened.

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has criticised the Inspector-General of Police over warnings concerning citizens filming police officers while carrying out their duties.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Effiong argued that the focus should be on police misconduct and accountability rather than citizens documenting encounters with officers.

According to him, Nigerians record police interactions because officers are expected to uphold a higher standard as law enforcement agents.

SEE MORE: Ex-IGP Usman Alkali Baba Joins Yobe Governorship Race, Vows to End Insurgency

“The reason why Nigerians take interest in recording such encounters is because a higher standard is expected of police officers who take it upon themselves to enforce the law.”

Effiong said public recording can expose misconduct and promote transparency within the police force.

“We cannot continue to work under an atmosphere of secrecy, be scared of transparency.”

The lawyer also criticised what he described as illegal profiling during stop-and-search operations.

Citing Section 54 of the Police Act 2020, Effiong said officers should not stop citizens based solely on their appearance, hairstyle, dressing or other personal characteristics.

“Section 54 of the Police Act 2020 excludes certain things from reasonable grounds and says you shall not stop a citizen… on the basis of his look, on the basis of his hairstyle, on the basis of his dressing, on the basis of appearance. But this is what policemen are doing on a daily basis.”

He alleged that some officers stereotype young people, particularly those driving expensive cars or wearing certain hairstyles and clothes.

“Where policemen will see a young man or a young lady driving a fancy, luxurious car, having braids, dressing in a particular way, and the first thing that comes to their mind is, ‘This is a Yahoo boy.’ They will stereotype the person, wrongly profile the person, and start demanding to search.”

Effiong further maintained that police officers have legal obligations when conducting searches, including identifying themselves and providing relevant identification.

Reacting to comparisons between citizens filming officers at checkpoints and recording officials in private offices, Effiong questioned the relevance of such comparisons.

“Do Nigerians go to the IGP’s office to record him while he is carrying out his functions? I haven’t seen people come to your office with mobile phones and start pointing their phones to record you.”

“So the IGP is speaking to an imaginary problem, the one he has created in his head.” he added

Effiong’s comments come amid renewed debate over the rights of Nigerians to record police officers during public encounters and the need to balance police operations with transparency and accountability.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) Limited and Geoplex Drillteq Limited, on Thursday in Port Harcourt graduated seven young Nigerian engineers and geologists in Directional Drilling and Evaluation Services (DD/MWD) and Electric Wireline Evaluation Services (EWL).

Biztellers reports that the trainees collectively received 18 international certifications from reputable European organisations for their training.

Under the contractual framework provided by SNEPCO, Directional Drilling and Evaluation exposed the trainees to jar maintenance, bottom-hole assembly components, measurement-while-drilling principles, formation integrity and leak-off test procedures. For Electric Wireline Services, they had hands-on training on wireline logging, cement evaluation, perforation operations, pressure-control equipment, and rig-up and rig-down activities.

READ ALSO: Dangote Refinery: NMDPRA Mulls Legal Battle Over Access Restriction

In a keynote address, the Director, Capacity Building Directorate (CBD) of the NCDMB, Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, represented by the Deputy Manager in the unit, Mr. Tareowei Bufazi, noted with satisfaction that the trainees had a detailed curriculum for the two programmes implemented concurrently under the SNEPCO contracts.

He described the classroom sessions of the programmes and the on-the-job training in live projects as rigorous, pointing out that trainees have been adequately prepared for major opportunities globally and Final Investment Decisions (FIDs) that are coming on stream.

He told the graduands that the knowledge, skills and certifications they have acquired should serve as “a foundation for continuous learning and professional growth,” and that they would be remembered for problems they are able to solve, standards they are able to uphold, and value they create.

“The world you are entering is competitive, demanding, and constantly evolving,” he explained, adding, “you have already proven that you can rise above challenges….Be courageous enough to seize opportunities and resilient enough to overcome setbacks.”

The CBD boss commended SNEPCO for their commitment to the successful implementation of the programme and for investing in the development of Nigerian talent. He also thanked Geoplex and Arewa Innovative Solutions for their respective roles.

Earlier in opening remarks, Mr. Kingsley Erhunmwunsee, of SNEPCO Limited, stated that his company treats local content as an investment in Nigeria’s future, and not just as a regulatory obligation. He emphasised that Nigeria’s oil and gas industry needs highly skilled people who can operate safely, solve complex problems, embrace new technologies and deliver world-class performance.

According to him, “Developing that capability within Nigeria strengthens not only individual careers, but also our companies and the Nigerian economy.” He expressed appreciation to the NCDMB for its sustained efforts in local content development and for the support it provided toward the successful implementation of the training programme.