Xiaomi’s relentless streak of launching gizmos continues as the Chinese tech giant has launched yet another flagship smartphone, the Xiaomi Mi 8.
The phone was launched in China amidst other Xiaomi products like the Mi Band 3, Mi 8 SE, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, the new Mi TV 4 in 75-inches, the Mi VR and also Xiaomi’s new user interface the MIUI 10 was introduced.
Not surprised that the new Mi 8 has a striking resemblance with the iPhone 8 but it is also the first phone from the company that sports a notch at the top.
Xiaomi Mi 8 Specifications
- Display: 6.21-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED
- Processor: Snapdragon 845 octa-core
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 64/128/256 GB
- OS: Android 8.1/MIUI 10
- Rear camera: Dual 12MP+12MP
- Front camera: 20MP
- Battery: 3400mAh
If we want to talk design, the new Mi 8 comes with a curved glass back panel and an aluminium frame which adds to the ergonomics of the device. It sports a 6.21-inch full HD+ Super AMOLED display that pumps out a resolution of 1080 x 2248 pixels.
This phone is ‘packin!’
It’s running on a Snapdragon 845 octa-core processor coupled with 6GB of RAM. The Mi 8 doesn’t support memory expansion, but comes with ample storage options of 64GB, 128GB and 256GB.
The top of the Mi 8 houses an infrared sensor that enables the Face Unlock feature in low-light conditions. There is also an option to camouflage the notch on the Mi 8 just like what you see on the OnePlus 6 and the Huawei P20 Pro.
It comes with a dual 12-megapixel camera that has a very high DxOMark of 105. It also sports a 20-megapixel camera on the front.
The Mi 8 comes with a 3400mAh battery pack that supports Quick Charge technology.
The Mi 8 is has been priced at 2,699 yuan (Rs 28,156) in China, the Explorer Edition will start from 3,699 yuan (Rs 38,588), and the SE available for 1,799 yuan (Rs 18,767).
Xiaomi has also introduced its new MIUI 10 that has been passed onto the upcoming Xiaomi phones. The new UI supports 18:9 aspect ratio for video files and also comes with animated 3D avatars (like Apple’s animojis).
Xiaomi also launched the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition that comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor like what we have already seen on the recently launched Vivo X21. It also comes with 3D facial recognition display, and the company touts this as the first Android phone with the technology after Apple’s iPhone X.
Xiaomi also launched a smaller, lighter version of the Mi 8, dubbed the Mi 8 SE. A bit derivative...
The Mi 8 SE comes with a 5.88-inch AMOLED bezel-less display and is powered by a Snapdragon 710 processor. For optics, it comes with a 12+5-megapixel dual rear cameras and a 20-megapixel selfie camera.
Wait... there’s more! Apart from smartphones, there were other gadgets that were launched. The Mi Band 3, the Xiaomi 75-inch Mi TV which comes with a 4k UHD display and also a standalone VR headset dubbed Mi VR.
No news on if and when these phones will come to India, but a tweet by Xiaomi’s official handle suggests that India might see the Mi 8 very soon.
One of the pictures on Xiaomi’s Twitter account shows the Taj Mahal as one of the marquee places, so it’s a possibility that Xiaomi has some plans for the Mi 8 in the Indian market.
Anxiously waiting for these Xiaomi devices to land on Indian shores and soon after, you can expect a full review from us of the new Xiaomi phones here at The Quint.
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