When you’re in the smartphone business, speed is often the key. The race now is for the fate of the wide foldable segment. Unfortunately for everyone else, Samsung already fired the first salvo last month. A week ago, Apple was scheduled to be the second one, at least. However, Xiaomi has beat them to the punch, announcing the Xiaomi 18 Fold ahead of the rumored iPhone Fold.

For a while now, it’s been rumored that Apple is going to launch its first foldable this year. Even better, the device might follow a passport-style form factor, a critically acclaimed design that found success with Samsung. Naturally, others want to follow suit, and Xiaomi did just that.

Today, Xiaomi has confirmed that the Xiaomi 18 Fold is launching on September 7, a few days before Apple’s own event. Plus, leaving fans with more than just a date, the brand also revealed what the phone will look like. Of course, it’s a wide foldable, and it looks amazing.

Xiaomi also teased that the Xiaomi 18 Fold will rock the new XRing O3 SoC, which features improvements across CPU, GPU, and NPU performance. It will also have a sizable 7.58-inch main display and a 5.38-inch secondary screen.

It won’t be long now. September 7 is just a few sleeps away. And, Apple is coming soon after.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Review

POCO has officially launched the F9 Series in the Philippines, bringing the POCO F9 Ultra and POCO F9 Pro to the local market. The new lineup focuses on flagship performance, 185Hz displays, upgraded cameras, and longer battery life.

Both phones are now available through Shopee, with an Early Bird promo running from September 1 to 16, 2026. Buyers can also get a free REDMI Buds 8 Active, 1+1 Years Warranty, and up to six months of screen replacement at any Xiaomi Service Center. Shopee also offers a rebate on top of the Early Bird promo.

POCO F9 Series pricing and availability

The POCO F9 Ultra comes in Dark Cherry and Black, with three storage configurations:

• 12GB + 256GB: PhP 55,999 SRP | PhP 45,999 Early Bird | PhP 41,920 with Shopee Rebate
• 16GB + 512GB: PhP 59,999 SRP | PhP 48,999 Early Bird | PhP 44,600 with Shopee Rebate
• 16GB + 1TB: PhP 89,999 SRP | PhP 79,999 Early Bird | PhP 73,600 with Shopee Rebate

Meanwhile, the POCO F9 Pro comes in White, Aurora Green, and Black:

• 12GB + 256GB: PhP 49,999 SRP | PhP 33,999 Early Bird | PhP 30,600 with Shopee Rebate | PhP 29,300 with Lazada Rebate
• 12GB + 512GB: PhP 54,999 SRP | PhP 35,999 Early Bird | PhP 32,400 with Shopee Rebate | PhP 31,500 with Lazada Rebate

POCO F9 Ultra

The POCO F9 Ultra is the higher-end model of the two. It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform and pairs it with the VisionBoost D8 chipset. This enables Smart frame rate of up to 185FPS, with Smart frame rate and AI Super Resolution able to run simultaneously. POCO says the F9 Ultra also achieved an AnTuTu score of 4,165,108, the highest recorded on a POCO smartphone.

For gaming, the F9 Ultra supports 185FPS across more than 20 titles natively, while five additional games can reach 185FPS through Smart frame rate. It also features a 4,800Hz instant touch sampling rate, 480Hz 10-point touch sampling rate, 200Hz gyro sampling rate, and POCO 3D IceLoop cooling.

It also gets a 6.9-inch 185Hz HyperRGB AMOLED display. The panel uses POCO HyperRGB technology and the new M11 luminescent material, reaching up to 4,500 nits of peak brightness and 10,000 nits for HDR content. The phone also supports Xiaomi Vision Care and TÜV Rheinland Quadruple Eye Care certification.

On the back, the F9 Ultra introduces dynamic lighting that can react to calls, notifications, gaming, and music.

For audio, the F9 Ultra uses dual symmetrical 1115D stereo speakers and a 1620 independent subwoofer to deliver a 2.1-channel audio setup. Sound by Bose tuning also brings Dynamic and Balanced sound profiles.

The phone packs an 8,050mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless HyperCharge. It also supports 27W wired and 22.5W wireless reverse charging.

For photography, the F9 Ultra has POCO’s first 200MP ultra-clear camera system with OIS. It is paired with a 5x periscope telephoto camera, 10x lossless zoom, and up to 20x AI Ultra Zoom. A 32MP front camera handles selfies.

POCO F9 Pro

POCO F8 Pro and POCO F9 Pro

The POCO F9 Pro takes the F Series experience into a slightly more compact package.

It also uses a flagship Qualcomm mobile platform alongside the VisionBoost D8 chipset, enabling the same 185FPS Smart frame rate capabilities. It gets the same HyperRGB AMOLED display technology, but on a smaller 6.59-inch 185Hz panel.

The F9 Pro has a 6,330mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless HyperCharge. It also supports reverse charging at up to 27W wired and 22.5W wireless.

For photography, the phone gets POCO’s first 200MP main camera system with OIS. It is paired with a 50MP 2.5x floating telephoto camera that can focus as close as 10cm, making it suitable for both close-up and long-distance shots.

The F9 Pro also gets Sound by Bose technology, using dual symmetrical 1115F super-linear stereo speakers and a Sealed Cavity Design.

Both phones also support POCO’s new Game Audio mode, which boosts the volume of footsteps while retaining other in-game audio cues to help players identify sounds and their direction more easily.

The POCO F9 Series is now available in the Philippines through Shopee, with Early Bird offers running until September 16, 2026.

POCO has officially unveiled the F9 Series in Singapore, introducing the POCO F9 Ultra and POCO F9 Pro. The new flagship lineup brings upgrades across performance, displays, cameras, battery life, and audio, alongside the latest chapter of POCO’s partnership with Bose.

Both phones will be available in Singapore starting September 1, 2026, with Early Bird offers running until September 17, 2026. The promotion is available through mi.com and POCO’s official stores on Shopee and Lazada. Buyers can get gifts worth up to SGD 595, along with additional perks including three months of YouTube Premium, three months of Google AI Pro, one free screen replacement within six months, and two-year quality assurance.

POCO F9 Series pricing and availability

The POCO F9 Ultra comes in Black and Dark Cherry and is available in three configurations:

• 12GB + 256GB: SGD 1,199 RRP | SGD 1,099 Early Bird
• 16GB + 512GB: SGD 1,399 RRP | SGD 1,299 Early Bird
• 16GB + 1TB: SGD 1,699 RRP | SGD 1,599 Early Bird

The POCO F9 Pro comes in Black, White, and Aurora Green, with two storage configurations:

• 12GB + 256GB: SGD 899 RRP | SGD 849 Early Bird
• 12GB + 512GB: SGD 999 RRP | SGD 949 Early Bird

During the Early Bird period, F9 Ultra buyers also receive a free REDMI Buds 8 Pro, while F9 Pro buyers get a free REDMI Buds 8. Both models come with the other launch perks while stocks last.

POCO F9 Ultra

The POCO F9 Ultra leads the lineup with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform and the VisionBoost D8 chipset. POCO says it achieved an AnTuTu score of 4,165,108, the highest ever recorded on a POCO smartphone. The dual-chip setup also enables Smart frame rate of up to 185FPS, with Smart frame rate and AI Super Resolution able to run simultaneously.

The F9 Ultra also features WildBoost Engine, support for 185FPS gaming across more than 20 titles, and up to 185FPS through Smart frame rate in five additional games. It also packs 4,800Hz instant touch sampling, 480Hz 10-point touch sampling, 200Hz gyro sampling, and POCO 3D IceLoop cooling.

For the display, the F9 Ultra gets a 6.9-inch 185Hz HyperRGB AMOLED panel. It uses POCO HyperRGB technology and the new M11 luminescent material, with up to 4,500 nits of peak brightness and up to 10,000 nits for HDR content. It also supports Xiaomi Vision Care with TÜV Rheinland Quadruple Eye Care certification.

The phone introduces dynamic lighting on the back, with personalized effects for calls, notifications, gaming, and music.

Audio is another highlight, with dual symmetrical 1115D stereo speakers and an independent 1620 subwoofer creating a 2.1-channel setup. Sound by Bose tuning offers Dynamic and Balanced sound profiles, while Game Audio mode enhances footsteps for better directional awareness during gaming.

The F9 Ultra packs an 8,050mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless HyperCharge. It also supports 27W wired and 22.5W wireless reverse charging.

For photography, the F9 Ultra features POCO’s first 200MP ultra-clear camera system with OIS, alongside a 5x periscope telephoto camera. It supports 10x lossless zoom and 20x AI Ultra Zoom, while a 32MP front camera handles selfies.

POCO F9 Pro

The POCO F9 Pro brings the same flagship dual-chip architecture to a more compact form factor. It uses a Qualcomm flagship mobile platform alongside VisionBoost D8, supporting Smart frame rate of up to 185FPS.

It features a 6.59-inch 185Hz HyperRGB AMOLED display, using the same HyperRGB technology and M11 luminescent material as the Ultra.

The F9 Pro also gets a refined design, with the Aurora Green variant featuring POCO’s first full-panel luminous design. The back can produce a soft glow in darkness after exposure to sunlight or indoor lighting, with users able to create luminous patterns using a blue-violet laser pointer.

For audio, the F9 Pro uses dual symmetrical 1115F super-linear stereo speakers with a Sealed Cavity Design. It also gets Sound by Bose tuning and the new Game Audio mode.

The phone packs a 6,330mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless HyperCharge. It also supports 27W wired and 22.5W wireless reverse charging.

For cameras, the F9 Pro features the same 200MP main camera system with OIS, paired with a 50MP 2.5x floating telephoto camera capable of focusing as close as 10cm. Both phones also support 4K video with Live cinematography features, including automated focal transitions and fluid lens shifts.

The POCO F9 Series is available in Singapore from September 1, 2026, with Early Bird pricing and launch promotions running until September 17, 2026, while stocks last.