Xiaomi has definitely improved their gameplan over the past couple of quarters. The company managed to stay on top in the local Chinese markets but also managed to cover significant ground internationally. Now, the company announced the Mi Mix 3 a few weeks back and right off the first glance we noticed that the phone had no notch or chin at all. Xiaomi took the flip phone approach with a manual slider hosting the cameras and the sensors.
The word 5G has been tossed around a lot recently and it is expected to make an entrance at a consumer level very soon. Given the fact that Xiaomi dominates the Asian markets, they wouldn’t want to lag behind the competition. In our interview with the Chinese tech company, we asked them how they planned on pursuing this technology and approach.
Q: Would next year’s 5G Mi MIX 3 be different internally?
A: Yes, it will be a different SKU.
Now, by SKU they mean the Stock Keeping Unit. This means that the next 5G variant of a notch-less device by Xiaomi will consist of a completely different form factor. The answer was rather vague by Xiaomi but we can undoubtedly come up with a few theories ourselves.
We know that Samsung is working on a completely bezel-less smartphone hosting 5G capabilities but Xiaomi’s approach has always been cost-effective and if they somehow manage to make a much streamlined and polished version of the Mi Mix then they may have yet another polarizing smartphone at their hands.
The durability is going to be a major hurdle in the way. The Oppo Find X is the best example available, it failed miserably in the durability test and Xiaomi should take some notes from them. The removal of a motorized mechanism may offer better practicality but with it, we lack IP 67 or 68 waterproofing. The Mi Mix 3 also sacrificed in the battery department by housing a mere 3300 mAh battery which is just not enough for today’s standards.
Moreover, Europe and NA are ready for 5G and if Xiaomi plans on rolling the next device early next then they’ll surely be a strong contender in the market. If Xiaomi does pull this off then long known brands like Apple, OnePlus and even Samsung may be threatened.
As of right now, we see two very different approaches to a completely notch-less phone, Samsung’s under display sensor may completely revolutionize the market, however, Xiaomi’s flip phone design given a few improvements can definitely compete. On the other hand, Xiaomi’s signature move is to overwhelm the budget smartphone category and if they come up with an affordable 5G option then they very well deserve to be on top.
