Xiaomi is preparing to launch its next flagship foldable phone, and the Xiaomi 18 Fold is set to bring a major memory upgrade with CXMT’s new LPDDR6 DRAM. CXMT has confirmed that its next-generation mobile memory has entered mass production, with Xiaomi’s upcoming foldable becoming the first smartphone announced to use it. The Xiaomi 18 Fold is scheduled to launch in China in September alongside Xiaomi’s new XRING O3 flagship processor.
The move puts both Xiaomi and CXMT at an important point in their respective hardware strategies. Xiaomi is using its own 3nm XRING O3 processor instead of relying entirely on Qualcomm or MediaTek, while CXMT is moving its latest mobile DRAM into a commercial smartphone after beginning mass production of LPDDR6. Reuters reports that CXMT began producing LPDDR6 less than a year after bringing its LPDDR5 memory into volume production.
The XRING O3 is designed to take advantage of the newer memory standard. According to Xiaomi’s specifications, the processor supports LPDDR6 at 10,667 MT/s through four 24-bit channels, providing up to 113.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The chip is manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm process and features a 10-core CPU, a 16-core G2-Ultra NX GPU and a dedicated NPU rated at 200 TOPS.
CXMT’s LPDDR6 memory is expected to reach data rates of up to 12,800 MT/s, although the actual configuration used in the Xiaomi 18 Fold will depend on the final device specifications. The higher bandwidth offered by LPDDR6 can benefit applications that move large amounts of data between the processor and memory, including gaming, multitasking and local AI workloads.
The Xiaomi 18 Fold will therefore combine several of Xiaomi’s latest hardware developments in one device. The foldable will be the first smartphone to use the XRING O3, while also becoming the first announced phone to ship with CXMT’s LPDDR6 memory. Xiaomi has also confirmed that the same XRING O3 platform will power the Xiaomi Pad 9 Pro Max, which is scheduled to launch in September.
CXMT’s progress is also important beyond Xiaomi. The company has reportedly shipped LPDDR6 samples for smartphones, servers and smart cars, showing that its new memory technology is being developed for several markets rather than a single mobile device. Its move into LPDDR6 also brings it closer to established DRAM manufacturers such as Samsung and SK hynix.
For the Xiaomi 18 Fold, the key hardware points currently confirmed or reported include:
- CXMT LPDDR6 memory
- Xiaomi XRING O3 flagship processor
- 3nm manufacturing process for the XRING O3
- LPDDR6 support at up to 10,667 MT/s on the XRING O3
- Up to 113.8 GB/s memory bandwidth
- September 2026 launch in China
- Xiaomi Pad 9 Pro Max also using the XRING O3 platform
Xiaomi has not yet revealed the complete specifications, pricing or availability details for the 18 Fold. Earlier reports have pointed to a wide foldable design, while leaked information has suggested features such as a large folding display and a high-capacity battery, but those details should be treated as unconfirmed until Xiaomi provides more information.
With its September launch approaching, the Xiaomi 18 Fold is shaping up to be an important showcase for both Xiaomi’s in-house silicon efforts and CXMT’s latest memory technology. The combination of the XRING O3 and LPDDR6 could also give the foldable a higher memory bandwidth ceiling than previous Xiaomi devices, although real-world performance will depend on the final hardware configuration and software.
