Xiaomi unveils 18 Pro series with enhanced privacy screen and Snapdragon 8 Elite chips

Xiaomi introduced its 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max flagship smartphones in the Chinese market, building on the rear-screen concept seen in the previous 17 Pro line. The devices incorporate a hardware-based privacy display similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra, but with broader app-wide activation, location-based triggers, and eye-detection via the front camera. They each carry a triple-camera array anchored by a 200-megapixel primary sensor, a 200-megapixel 75 mm telephoto lens, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide unit.

Battery capacity differs, with 7,000 mAh for the 6.4-inch Pro and 8,500 mAh for the 6.9-inch Pro Max, both using high-silicon content cells. Power is supplied by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 6 Elite in the Pro and the Extreme version in the Pro Max, offering only slight performance variation. Pricing begins at ¥5,999 (≈$900), and Xiaomi confirmed an overseas launch for at least one model later this year, while the broader 18 lineup, including the 18 and 18 Ultra, is expected in the following spring.