Xiaomi Launches 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max in China With Privacy Displays and Dual 200MP Cameras

The two models start from 5,999 yuan, about $900, according to The Verge. They join the Xiaomi 18 Fold in Xiaomi's new flagship family, while the standard Xiaomi 18 and Xiaomi 18 Ultra are expected next spring. An international launch for at least one 18 Pro phone will come later this year; Xiaomi has not said whether the 18 Fold will leave China.

The front display uses hardware-level privacy technology similar to the system introduced this year on Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra. The Verge reported that Xiaomi's version appears more flexible: when activated for a specific app, it can apply to notifications, floating windows, and split-screen views without affecting the rest of the screen. Location-based triggers can turn privacy mode on at work or off at home, and Xiaomi says it can detect locations such as airports or elevators. The selfie camera can also detect nearby onlookers and suggest activating privacy mode.

The Pro has a 6.4-inch display, while the Pro Max has a 6.9-inch screen. Their batteries are 7,000mAh and 8,500mAh respectively, with 32 percent silicon content. The Pro uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, and the Pro Max uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6; The Verge reported the differences between the two chips are slight. The Pro Max uses a high-thermal-conductivity Offset PoP packaging that places the SoC and memory side by side, which iFanr said improves heat dissipation compared with the 17 Pro Max. Android Authority reported that both phones include UWB, IP69 protection, and a customizable AI button.

Cameras are led by a 200-megapixel main camera with a 1/1.28-inch-type sensor, using the Light Fusion 960 in the Pro and 960L in the Pro Max. A 200-megapixel 75mm telephoto uses Samsung's 1/1.56-inch HP5 sensor and can focus from 12cm. A 50-megapixel ultrawide completes the rear setup. Android Authority said the telephoto has OIS, an f/2.4 aperture, 3.2x optical zoom, and a claimed 12.8x lossless zoom, and that Xiaomi says the Pro Max telephoto captures 83 percent more light than its predecessor. The triple camera setup also includes a 50MP OV51D Leica Ultrawide sensor with a 102-degree field of view and f/2.4 aperture, while the main camera uses LOFIC and OIS.

The rear screen returns on both phones. It sits around the camera and can show notifications, take selfies, play simple games, and support more than 100 cards, according to a review by iFanr. The review said Xiaomi leveled the rear screen with the lens glass to remove dust collection and a seesaw effect, and used an M11 emitting material with 400 PPI and 1.22mm bezels. Users can also ask the phone to generate custom cards with AI, iFanr said.

The 18 Pro Max adds an AI button on the frame. In the current version of HyperOS 4, a short press is locked to Super Xiao Ai memory, while long press can be customized. The review said the button gives the phone a physical AI entry point, though it would prefer short press for the assistant and long press for memory. The hardware-level privacy display uses M11 material with green light-emitting material that can push local peak brightness above 4,000 nits and uses full RGB Super Pixel 2.0. When only privacy pixels are on, the phone keeps complete RGB units, limiting resolution loss. It supports notification pop-up privacy, split-screen and small-window privacy, and automation through Xiao Ai, such as turning on social app privacy at the office. Those automations require Super Xiao Ai's Expert Mode, which offers 1,000 free points per month and paid subscriptions from 19 yuan to 99 yuan, with a free first-sale trial for the 18 Pro series.

The review also said the 18 Pro Max uses an end-to-end imaging model inherited from the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, with a Legendary Moment mode for film grain, CCD colors, and modern tones. It adds a new Original Color style alongside Leica Classic and Leica Vivid. The phone's 100W fast charging and 100W PPS support have received positive feedback, and iFanr said it often achieved more than nine hours of daily screen-on time. Xiaomi says the battery's actual discharge capacity is above 94 percent, and the phone retains UWB and battery finding. The 18 Pro Max transparent special edition costs 10,999 yuan.

Xiaomi's launch follows new flagship announcements this week from Vivo and Oppo. The Verge named the Vivo X500 and Oppo Find X10, while Android Authority said September has become "Pro Max season" after Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max, Vivo's X500 Pro Max, and Oppo's Find X10 Pro Max. Android Authority reported that Vivo's model centers on a 200MP ZEISS telephoto and that Oppo's Find X10 Pro Max features three 200MP rear cameras.

The launch comes after the Xiaomi 17 series sold about 6.13 million units, according to iFanr, with nearly 80 percent of sales from Pro models and more than 40 percent from the 17 Pro Max alone. iFanr said the 18 Pro series is intended to continue that strategy, and the 18 Pro Max transparent special edition is a high point in Xiaomi's recent flat-panel design.