Xiaomi 18 Series Leaks: AI Button, Dark Red Color, and LIPO Ultra-Narrow Bezels

Monday, 25 May 2026 at 08:50

The Xiaomi 18 series is still months away — September is the expected window — but the leaks are accelerating. Two separate stories this week: the Xiaomi 18 Pro gets a dedicated side AI button tied to Xiaomi's Miclaw AI agent, and Digital Chat Station confirms a dark red color option is in testing. Both are real developments from credible sources.

This is the Xiaomi 18 picture coming into focus.

Key Points

Xiaomi 18 Pro renders from tipster Leo Hefeng confirm a dedicated side AI button — single click for AI queries, double tap to connect with Xiaomi SU7, long press for smart home routines
AI button is tied to Miclaw — Xiaomi's advanced on-device AI agent capable of executing tasks within apps rather than just answering questions
Dark red color confirmed in testing by Digital Chat Station — noting Apple, Xiaomi, and OPPO are all exploring the same dark red/burgundy direction for 2026-2027 flagships
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max confirmed with 6.9-inch flat LIPO OLED, symmetrical bezels narrower than the 17 Pro Max, 1-nit minimum brightness, BT.2020 wide color gamut, and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 on 2nm
September 2026 launch expected — Xiaomi 18 Pro retains the secondary rear display from the 17 Pro, dual 200MP cameras, 7,000mAh+ battery with 100W charging

The AI Button Is More Than a Shortcut

Physical buttons for AI assistants have a mixed history. Samsung's Bixby button became a punchline. Apple's Action button succeeded because it mapped to what users actually wanted rather than a locked-in assistant. Xiaomi's approach on the 18 Pro is closer to Apple's philosophy — the button is programmable rather than dedicated to a single function.

Single click activates a quick AI query through Miclaw. Double tap connects to the Xiaomi SU7 — starting the car, checking its status, or enabling pre-conditioning. Long press triggers smart home routines. Three distinct actions through one physical button, each meaningful in daily life rather than gimmicky.

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Miclaw is the key differentiator. Unlike earlier AI assistants that could answer questions and set reminders, Miclaw is designed to execute tasks inside apps — booking a restaurant, composing and sending a message, making a payment. A physical button that directly invokes this capability reduces the friction of getting to AI-powered actions from any context.

Dark Red — Following Apple and OPPO

Digital Chat Station's post noted that "the Fruit brand, Mi brand, and O brand" are all testing dark red color options for upcoming flagship devices. We covered the iPhone 18 Pro dark red story from Mark Gurman separately. OPPO's Find X10 Pro Max is similarly exploring rich burgundy options for its October launch. Xiaomi joining that direction for the 18 series — likely a deep burgundy rather than bright red — fits the cross-industry convergence on this specific color aesthetic.

Bold color choices have worked well for Xiaomi. The Xiaomi 17 Pro's Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue were commercial successes. A dark red flagship option for the 18 series follows that pattern of offering one distinctive color alongside more conservative options.

What's Confirmed for the Full Lineup

The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is the most fully detailed model from leaks. Digital Chat Station confirmed the 6.9-inch flat LIPO OLED with bezels even narrower than the 17 Pro Max — already among the slimmest bezels available. The 1-nit minimum brightness and BT.2020 wide color gamut tell you this is a display tuned for both extreme low-light environments and professional color accuracy.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 on 2nm for the Pro Max. The Ultra is expected to receive the Pro variant of the same chip. The standard Xiaomi 18 remains the least detailed of the four confirmed models.

Glass and glass fiber material options across the lineup — some variants lean toward lighter chassis construction, others toward more premium glass. Secondary rear display confirmed for the Pro, carrying forward the most distinctive feature of the 17 Pro.