Xiaomi unveils Pocket Guitar magnetically for 18 Pro

Xiaomi announced a new magnetic accessory for the Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max on Sep 26, 2026, reported by Rajesh Regmi. Called the Xiaomi Pocket Guitar, the gadget is built around the handset's rear display and follows the companys recent experiments with the secondary screen.

The Pocket Guitar is a compact, foldable musical peripheral that attaches to the back of the phone with a strong magnet and sits over the secondary display when folded. It ships in black and red and opens into two sections around a hinge. One side carries a row of chord buttons, the other a textured panel with raised ridges that serve as strings. Fold it the other way and it becomes a small phone stand.

How it connects and how it plays

The accessory links to the phone over Bluetooth and integrates with Changba, a Chinese karaoke and singing app. After pairing, users enter the apps dedicated performance area and choose between two playing modes. In Chord mode the left hand presses numbered chord buttons marked I through VII while the right hand strums the textured surface. Rhythm mode removes the need to pick chords; you keep time on the strumming surface while the app handles harmony and accompaniment.

The rear display is central to the design because the strumming area sits below that screen, so your hand does not block on-screen controls while you play. The company says this lets performers view controls and recording information without peeking around a hand or the accessory.

Rear-screen features are limited to the Xiaomi 18 Pro series. On other Xiaomi phones and on iPhones running iOS 14 or later, the Pocket Guitar can still pair with Changba, but rear-screen performance and recording features are not available. In those cases playing, song browsing, and tuning are handled on the phones front display.

The accessory houses a 630mAh battery that Xiaomi says can deliver up to 30 days of use on a charge. It charges over a USB Type-C port and communicates with the phone via Bluetooth.

Xiaomi priced the Pocket Guitar at 599 yuan, roughly equivalent to some $90 in conversion, and made it available in China through JD.com.