MWC – the annual tech tradeshow in Barcelona – is shaping up to be pretty packed next month. Sony, Oppo, LG and Nokia are all rumoured to be planning to reveal a slew of new smartphones. And now it seems Xiaomi will be getting in on the action with a new flagship of its own.
Xiaomi’s smartphone lineup is… confusing, to say the least. Heading to the firm’s online store bombards you with 30 different models ranging from those in its flagship Mi lineup, to the more wallet-friendly Redmi devices.
The Beijing-based firm’s next flagship handset is expected to be called the Xiaomi Mi 10 although it’ll likely be called the Mi 10 Pro in the UK. That fits with the Mi branding previously used for Xiaomi flagships. Assuming the company follows tradition, the new device will be unveiled at the firm’s scheduled MWC conference on Monday February 24, 2020.
So why exactly is the Mi 10 equipped to challenge Samsung’s new S11 range? Well, rumours and leaks have suggested the device could come with a new all-screen design, a souped-up camera system and blisteringly fast internals. And, assuming Xiaomi follows its signature ethos of delivering products at a price that undercuts the competition, the Mi 10 could also be cheaper than the S11 too.
Alleged renders of the Xiaomi Mi 10 recently surfaced courtesy of TechDroider – the handset is exhibited with a slick all-screen curved display with incredibly tiny bezels. A single hole punch cutout is also present on the device, although it’s positioned on the left-hand side rather than on the right as seen on Samsung’s Galaxy S10 series.
The rear of the device looks set to have colour scheme reminiscent of the Glacier White available in Xiaomi’s Mi Note 10 Pro. Four cameras are displayed on the phone’s rear although the function of each is unclear.
While the renders from TechDroider could offer an insight into the Mi 10’s final design, they’re probably worth taking with a pinch of salt. Primarily because the Mi 10 has been rumoured to boast five rear-cameras like the Mi Note 10 Pro, not four.
Xiaomi is expected to headline the Mi 10’s camera system with a whopping 108-megapixel sensor and accompany it with an ultra wide-angle, telephoto, macro and portrait lens. If true, that could be a pretty compelling setup for shutterbugs – enough for the phone to compete with the S11’s rumoured penta-camera system perhaps?
It’s likely Xiaomi will make use of Qualcomm’s brand new Snapdragon 865 processor to keep the Mi 10 ticking along nicely. The 865 is 5G-ready when paired with the correct modem, so it’s possible Xiaomi’s next flagship could be capable of supporting next-generation network speeds. That would certainly see the company challenge Samsung for its crown.
Of course, it’s expected the Mi 10 will come pre-installed with the firm’s new MIUI 11 software based on Android 10. Xiaomi’s homegrown software has made huge strides forward in recent years – long gone is a cluttered design in favour of one that embraces minimalism.
The operating system also has a number of features you won’t find on Google’s stock Android platform either. Chief of these is called Mi Share that works with the recently announced Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance that allows for easy file sharing between Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo devices.
Of course, we’re expecting all the details about Xiaomi’s latest flagship smartphone to be formally announced during its MWC showcase next month. Express.co.uk will be in the crown when the Beijing firm takes to the stage on February 24th, so stay tuned for the announcements as they happen.
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