Redmi general manager Lu Weibing insists that the demand for small phones has been on the increase in recent years. He also said battery technology needs to advance to deliver the same battery size in a smaller form factor.
Weibing also made some mention of the future of fast charging and LCD-based in-display fingerprint sensors.
Fast-rising Chinese phone maker, Xiaomi has released various competitive devices this year, but smaller phones are not among the devices released so far. Weibing had previously said that the firm wants to build a small phone but that battery capacity will be sacrificed because the technology is yet to achieve longer-lasting batteries for such small phones.
In an interview session with Android Authority, Weibing acknowledged that indeed there is a growing demand for smaller phones. In his comments, he stated that extended battery life is a fundamental requirement for all Redmi smartphones, stressing that the challenge is developing a physically smaller battery with the same capacity as the larger one requires a tremendous breakthrough in battery technology.
In 2017, the Redmi 4X was released with a 4,100mAh battery while the phone was just 5 inches long. However, a greater challenge awaits the firm in this age 5G, with key components and multiple cameras taking up vital space, while 5G and high refresh rate screens require larger batteries too.
A bigger battery usually requires faster-charging speeds to maintain standard fast charging times. Xiaomi indeed launched 120W charging in 2020. But is there a limit to charging speeds? Improved battery technology holds the key, in the words of the Redmi Executive.
Inevitably, with recent tech advancements, low-end phones will soon have fast charging capabilities.
Although Weibing was silent on the kind of charging speeds Xiaomi is expecting for sub-$300 phones in 2021, the company has already revealed several low-budget phones with 30W or higher speeds in 2020, including the Redmi Note 9 Pro series. So it should be expected that fast charging technology may be more prevalent by 2021.
Of course, super-fast charging was not the only technology Weibing has touted in 2020. He also demonstrated in-display fingerprint sensors using LCD screens earlier this year. However, the implementation of technology seems to be stalled at the moment.
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