For a very long time, Samsung has dominated IFA with one of the biggest stands at the show. In 2026, South Korean business has taken a step back, with Chinese firms now dominating the event. Among them, Xiaomi invaded Berlin with more than 3,300 square meters of exhibition space, bringing together around 380 products, including TVs, robot vacuum cleaners, humanoid robots, vehicles, smart home devices, accessories, etc. However, the one device everyone wants to try remains a secret: Xiaomi’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8-like foldable.
Enclosed behind thick glass, we know that the device is called Xiaomi 18 Fold, that it has a proprietary XRING O3 chip and that it is very red. With an official unveiling next week, ahead of Apple’s foldable iPhone reveal, Xiaomi is the latest company to attempt this new form factor.
Although the device appears rounder than its Samsung counterpart, it’s unclear how similar or different it will feel in hand during everyday use. To me, a passport-style foldable phone seems like the worst mini phone and tablet combined. Still, this form factor is getting a lot of attention because Samsung is selling more devices than it can produce. That said, even though Xiaomi keeps its phone behind glass, the company has also focused on several other products aimed at everyday customers as it is now investing heavily in the European market.
Human x Car x Home is Xiaomi’s strategy
José Adorno/BGR
“This year’s IFA marks an important milestone in Xiaomi’s global journey,” Xu Fei, Xiaomi’s chief marketing officer, said at the company’s IFA press conference. “Over the years, we have moved from smartphones to smart homes and vehicles, while investing deeply in foundational technologies, including AI.” At the show, Xiaomi invited BGR to get a first look at the deep integration between its hundreds of products. In one of the “AI Tomorrow” sections, Xiaomi presented a new hypercar concept, which wants to revolutionize the segment by combining comfort, fast speeds and futuristic design.
Although the vehicle attracted a lot of attention, the real focus was the “AI Today” segment, showing the connection between today’s vehicles, smart living rooms, bedrooms, and more. For example, in a connected Xiaomi world, a customer would go home in their car. When leaving the car, the door to the house would be automatically unlocked, the curtains would open and the lights would turn on. After finishing cooking and placing the dishes in the dishwasher, the AI would know to start cleaning – including waking up a smart robot vacuum – without anyone saying a word.
Meanwhile, in the bedroom, when you lie down to read a book, the bed automatically moves to a more comfortable angle, the air conditioning turns on at the desired temperature, and so on. According to Xiaomi, what sets these experiences apart is the use of AI, which can predict what’s next based on user behavior and a connected smart home app.
Understanding Xiaomi’s AI Models
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Large language models and AI platforms such as MiMo-V2.5-Pro, Xiaomi Miloco and Xiaomi Miclaw will enable the company to create this AI-driven future. They enable the company’s products to understand, reason and act. Like other brands, Xiaomi is integrating its LLMs with HyperOS and custom silicon architecture with the high-end XRING 03 chip that will power Xiaomi’s upcoming foldable phone. This combination allows data to be processed locally and efficiently on smartphones, vehicles and other connected home appliances.
With this, the system can synthesize inputs from multiple devices, interpret contextual cues such as time (if you go to bed at a certain time), geolocation (whether you are arriving or leaving home) and weather to provide proactive assistance. Some options include having the car prepare the air conditioning and lighting before the person arrives home or printing a photo that was just taken on the phone.
More importantly, these models are also essential for the company’s humanoid platforms, like CyberOne, which handle real-world assembly tasks. This ongoing development is part of Xiaomi’s planned R&D investment of €24 billion between 2026 and 2030, as the company wants to continue to bridge the gap between what AI intends to do and what it can actually do.
