This foldable phone could be a Samsung Galaxy killer – but you can't have it

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 was unveiled at the Samsung event yesterday. The device looks absolutely stunning, with a redesigned hinge that allows the device to sit completely flush when folded.

It faces stiff competition in the foldable phone sphere, though. Already, competitors like the Google Pixel Fold and the Huawei Mate X3 were giving the Samsung a run for its money. Now, another device has been teased – and it could be a killer handset.

The Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 is set to launch next month. That's according to a recent tweet from the companies' CEO, Lei Jun. According to that tweet, the device will feature a Leica engineered quad-camera on the rear, while still maintaining a slim and lightweight design.

Details are still relatively thin, but we do know that the camera setup will utilise micro OIS motors and ultra-slim high refractive lenses. At least one of the cameras will be a periscope zoom unit, too.

That's a big deal. Sure, it's not the first foldable to pack in a periscope lens, but it might just be the best. I had the pleasure of testing the Xiaomi 13 earlier this year and was blown away with the camera quality. 

Leica won't just slap their name on anything to make a quick buck – the partnership really does work to improve the quality of image capture on these handsets. If the Mix Fold 3 can enjoy any of that, it should be a total knockout.

So, what's the catch? Well, if you're reading this, it's likely that you wont be able to get one. Previous generations of the Mix Fold series have been China-only devices. There's nothing in the details released so far to suggest that's going to change this time out.

I certainly hope it does, though. The foldable phone market is exploding in popularity right now, and more competition will only help that. On top of that, this device could be a really strong competitor in the space. 

As mentioned, I'm a huge fan of the camera, but I also really enjoy the way Xiaomi phones work. Their UI is slick and intuitive, and they really stand up against bigger household name brands.

We'll know more in a few weeks when the device launches. Until then, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.