Last month, Xiaomi confirmed MIUI 12.5 update for the Mi 8 series. A few days later, the vanilla Mi 8 started receiving the said update. Now, the latest version of MIUI is available for three more Mi 8 models, namely Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi 8 Pro, and Mi 8 SE.

Xiaomi unveiled MIUI 12.5 alongside the Mi 11 at the end of December 2020. Since then, the company has been trying to deliver the new version of its mobile operating system to eligible devices worldwide.

The firm started sending stable builds in late March. Over three and a half months later, the update is finally available for Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi 8  Pro, and Mi 8 SE. The update is currently live in China with the following build numbers.

• Mi 8 Explorer Edition – V12.5.1.0.QEHCNXM
• Mi 8 Pro – V12.5.1.0.QECCNXM
• Mi 8 SE – V12.5.1.0.QEBCNXM

Unsurprisingly, the above-listed builds are labeled as ‘Stable Beta’. This means they are being rolled out in batches for select few users. Anyway, the update should be available for all users in China as well as other regions in the near future.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 family debuted with MIUI 9 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. The handsets were later updated to MIUI 10, MIUI 11, and MIUI 12. They even received Android 9.0 Pie and Android 10. Going by Xiaomi’s software update track record, MIUI 12.5 is likely the last major system update for these phones.

RELATED:

• Xiaomi Mi CC11, Mi CC11 Pro key specs leak, reveals SD780G/870, camera details, and more
• Xiaomi flip phone with a clamshell design and dual front cameras spotted in a new patent
• Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 engineering machine exposure reveals three upcoming models
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s Super Power Saver mode can offer up to 14-day battery life

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 SE bag MIUI 12.5 update appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi announced MIUI 12.5 at the Mi 11 launch event in late December 2020. The company has been rolling it out to eligible devices for the past few weeks. However, the handset maker did not reveal when the older devices will be receiving the update. Now, as the firm is about to finish the rollout for newer smartphones, a company executive has named an older flagship smartphone that will be receiving the MIUI 12.5 update in near future.

A netizen on Weibo inquired Zhang Guoquan (Director of Xiaomi Mobile System Software) about the availability of the Mi 8 MIUI 12.5 update. To this, the executive simply replied that the update is ready. 

This means we can expect Xiaomi to start rolling out the  MIUI 12.5 update for the Mi 8 in the coming days. The other models in the Mi 8 series should also receive the update at around the same time.

Back in April, the same executive revealed that all the smartphones powered by Snapdragon 845 will be getting the MIUI 12.5 update.  Hence, Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer Edition (aka Mi 8 Pro), and Mi MIX 2S will be updated to the current latest version of MIUI along with Mi MIX 3 featuring a Snapdragon 855.

Unfortunately, it’s still now sure whether the POCO F1 is eligible for the MIUI 12.5 update. But we believe it should receive the update as it has the same chipset as the Mi 8.

RELATED:

• Xiaomi establishes ‘MIUI Pioneer Group’ to fix problems faced by users
• Xiaomi J18s foldable smartphone tipped to launch in Q4 2021
• MIUI 13 is coming soon, suggests latest MIUI Cleaner beta
• Xiaomi is expanding team for its Electric Vehicles business

The post Xiaomi confirms MIUI 12.5 update for Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi MIX 2S, and Mi MIX 3 appeared first on Gizmochina.

MIUI 12, Xiaomi’s 10th-anniversary Android skin has been rolling out to eligible devices since its official announcement in late April. After the 2020 and 2019 smartphones, the stable update is currently being pushed to 2018 handsets in China. The Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, and Mi Max 3 are the latest phones to get it.

Xiaomi launched a total of five models in the Mi 8 series in 2018 consisting of three flagship handsets and two toned-down versions. One of the higher-end and mini models, Mi 8 and Mi 8 Lite already received MIUI 12 stable update in July and August respectively in China.

Now, the top devices in the series, Mi 8 Pro and Mi 8 Explorer Edition have begun to get this long-awaited update in the company’s home country. The build numbers for their update are v12.0.1.0.QECCNXM and 12.0.1.0.QEHCNXM respectively.

Similarly, the last phone in the Mi Max series, the Mi Max 3 is also being blessed with MIUI 12 stable update. The update comes with build number v12.0.1.0.QEDCNXM for this giant smartphone of its time.

We expect Xiaomi to roll out this update to the international version of these handsets in the coming days like it is doing with the previous phones.

UP NEXT: Here’s the official list of Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO, and Black Shark devices eligible for Android 11

(Via)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, and Mi Max 3 updated to MIUI 12 stable in China appeared first on Gizmochina.

More than six months after its release, Xiaomi may eventually launch the Mi 8 Explorer Edition outside China according to a new finding.

The Mi 8 Explorer is the top of the line of the Mi 8 series. Along with having an in-display fingerprint scanner, it also has 3D face unlock which is more advanced and secure than the infrared Face Unlock on the Mi 8 Pro. The phone also has a see-through back that allows you to see a printed version of its internals.

An XDA developer by the name “yshalsager” found the codename of an unannounced Xiaomi device. The codename is “ursa-global”. If you remember, “Ursa” is the codename for a device thought to be the Mi 7 Plus but which later launched as the Mi 8 Explorer Edition. The developer also found the marketing name of the device in Chinese (小米手机8透明探索版 国际版). Throw that into Google translate and you get this “Millet phone 8 transparent exploration version International Edition”. It is clear this means the Mi 8 Explorer Edition is getting a global launch.

READ MORE: Alleged Xiaomi Mi 9 spotted in public, sports triple rear cameras

There is no info on when it will launch and the markets getting the phone. However, we won’t be surprised if Xiaomi brings it to MWC 2019.

What do you think of the Mi 8 Explorer Edition going global? No need for it or better late than never?

(Source)

The post Xiaomi’s Mi 8 Explorer Edition may eventually get a global release appeared first on Gizmochina.

After more than a year since its announcement, there are still just a handful of devices that support Qualcomm‘s Quick Charge 4+ fast charging technology. The list of certified phones and chargers have been updated again and Xiaomi phones make up a third of the list.

If you want a phone that supports Quick Charge 4+, you should consider any of the phones below:

• AGM X3
• BQ Aquaris X2
• BQ Aquaris X2 Pro
• LG G7 ThinQ
• LG V40 ThinQ
• Nubia Z17
• Nubia Z18
• Razer Phone
• Razer Phone 2
• Qiku N7 Pro
• Smartisan R1
• Xiaomi Mi 8
• Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition
• Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro
• Xiaomi Mi A2
• Xiaomi Mi MIX 3
• Xiaomi POCO F1
• ZTE Axon Pro 9

Although Xiaomi phones dominate the list, it doesn’t ship any of the phones with a Quick Charge 4+ charger. We guess the reason for this is to not drive up the cost of the phone.

Quick Charge 4+ is faster and more efficient than Quick Charge 3.0 but it likely still won’t get a lot of adoption for the following reasons. First, a number of manufacturers have their own fast charging technology – OPPO has VOOC and Super VOOC, OnePlus has Warp Charge, and Huawei and Honor have SuperCharge.

READ MORE: Xiaomi CEO hints that flagship smartphone Mi 9 will have better fast charging technology

These manufacturers will rather use their own fast charging technology than paying Qualcomm for Quick Charge 4+ certification. Some of these fast charging technologies are also faster than Quick Charge 4+ which means there isn’t really any advantage for them to switch.

More phones will join the list this year but don’t expect them to be a significant number.

(Via)

The post Xiaomi phones dominate list of phones with Quick Charge 4+ support appeared first on Gizmochina.

King of Glory is one of the most popular multiplayer online games in China. The game developer has partnered with mobile phone manufacturer, Xiaomi, on a new AR camera that allows users to take pictures with AR characters from the game.

The King of Glory AR Camera works with only five Xiaomi phones at the moment. The phones are the Mi 8, Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi MIX 3, and Mi MIX 2s.

The app is also only available to those who are running a beta version of MIUI on the supported devices.

The King of Glory AR camera app will let you choose the character of your choice, adjust skin tone, place the character anywhere in the real world and play or take pictures with it. You will also be able to add filters, beauty effects, and adjust light conditions.

READ MORE: Xiaomi’s secret product is the Mi Bluetooth Karaoke Headphones Forbidden City Edition

There is no info yet as to when the app will be available to other phones and if it will be released for stable MIUI users.

(Via)

The post Xiaomi phones get King of Glory AR camera appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi promised that it would update more of its phones o Android Pie this month and it has kept its promise. The Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer have begun receiving a new stable update that brings Android Pie along with some other features.

The update comes as MIUI 10.1 and weighs in at 2.1GB. The key change is the upgrade to Android Pie but it also brings the Mi MIX 3‘s 960fps slow-motion recording and Night Mode camera features to both devices. The changelog also says there are a number of bug fixes including screen flickering and screen blackouts.

The update is rolling out to the Chinese variants of these phones for now. A global stable version will definitely be announced in future.

READ MORE: Xiaomi announces Mi MIX 3 Forbidden City Edition will go on sale in December

The Xiaomi Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition were both released in May 2018. They came pre-installed with MIUI 9.6 based on Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box and later got updated to MIUI 10 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. This update won’t change the way the phone looks since it is still based on MIUI 10 but you get the features of Android Pie.

(Via)

The post MIUI 10.1 stable update brings Android Pie, 960fps slow motion to Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition appeared first on Gizmochina.

Yesterday we reported that the Mi 8 Pro would get the Mi MIX 3‘s Night Mode based on details found in its internal test firmware. Now details have surfaced that the feature is also present in the internal test firmware files of the Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer and the Mi MIX 2S.

The feature is being pushed out as an update to those running a closed beta version of MIUI 10. A screenshot has revealed that the update is a little over 300MB in size. The feature should be available to more people later when it leaves closed beta.

Xiaomi‘s CEO, Lei Jun promised that the night mode camera feature of the Mi MIX 3 would be made available to other flagships. And less than two weeks following the launch of the flagship, Xiaomi’s R&D team is already pushing out the feature to four phones already albeit in closed beta.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro with SD636 SoC and four cameras launched in Indonesia

The Night Mode camera feature allows users to shoot clear images with as little noise as possible at night or in low-light areas. Other camera features of the Mi MIX 3 include 960fps slow-motion recording and 4K at 60fps video recording. There is no info yet if these features will also be brought to older phones.

(Via)

The post Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer Edition & Mi MIX 2S also receive Night Mode camera feature appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi announced the Mi 8 Explorer Edition alongside the Mi 8 and Mi 8SE. While the other models have been on sale since their launch on May 31, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition has only gone on sale a couple of times since then. Xiaomi announced yesterday that the model will be on sale today (September 30) in China and rightly so, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition was made available via Xiaomi Mall. Interestingly, it seems to have gone out of stock once again as at the time of reporting.  The device comes with a retail price tag of 3699 yuan ($538).

The Mi 8 Explorer edition has as one of its stand out features, a translucent glass back which shows the internal components in a beautiful way. The device doesn’t feature a fingerprint sensor at the back instead, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition has an on-screen fingerprint reader that enables users to unlock the phone by a simple touch. The display is equipped with a highly sensitive pressure sensor, so with just a light touch the fingerprint is scanned and the device unlocked. The device supports Face ID and also onboard is a Snapdragon 845 chipset.

Read Also: Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition Combines A Pressure Sensitive Sensor With Synaptics In-Display Fingerprint Scanner For Faster Unlocking

The Mi 8 Explorer edition is fuelled by a 3000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4.0+ fast charge. The device is only available in 8GB + 128GB memory configuration. Since it is a limited edition model, it may finally be discontinued in favour of the Mi 8 Pro translucent glass back variant which was announced recently.

(source, via)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition goes on sale once again in China appeared first on Gizmochina.

Adoption has been slow but a few more manufacturers have joined Vivo on the list of manufacturers with a phone(s) with an in-display fingerprint scanner. Vivo’s X20 Plus UD released at the beginning of the year as the first commercially available phone with an in-display fingerprint scanner is now joined by phones from Huawei, Xiaomi, and Meizu.

While the technology does work the same way in all phones, some manufacturers have adopted special ways to make it faster and less power draining. One of such manufacturers is Xiaomi whose in-display fingerprint technology present in the Mi 8 Explorer Edition and Mi 8 Pro adopts an additional feature to give it an edge over that of other manufacturers.

This post will explain how Xiaomi’s in-display fingerprint technology differs from that of Vivo. For this comparison, we’ll be pitting the Vivo X21 UD against the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition as they both use the same fingerprint sensor which is supplied by Goodix and Synaptics.

Types of fingerprint sensors?

There are two main types of fingerprint sensors used in phones. They are the optical sensor and the capacitive sensor. The optical scanner has an image sensor that captures a picture of the fingerprint on the scanner and compares it to that stored on the phone. If it matches, it unlocks the phone.

The duration from capture to unlocking is a fraction of a second. The in-display fingerprint scanner used by Xiaomi and Vivo are optical sensors so they work using the same principle.

In-display fingerprint scanner

So we have established how the optical fingerprint scanner works but when placed under the display, things are a bit different. An in-display fingerprint scanner currently only works with OLED displays as the sensor can scan the fingerprint through the OLED dots. An LCD display uses a backlight which won’t allow the sensor to see through the screen.

Vivo X21 vs Mi 8 Explorer Edition

Reviews have shown that the fingerprint scanner in the Vivo X21 UD isn’t as fast as that of traditional fingerprint scanners that are not placed under the display. It requires your finger to stay on the display for a little longer before it scans and matches. This is understandable as the whole technology irrespective of manufacturers is still new. As the technology improves, the duration taken to unlock the device should be shorter.

However, that isn’t the only flaw of the Vivo X21 UD. The scanner also uses up more power. This is because the sensor is always pinging the screen to know if a finger is present for scanning.

For the Mi 8 Explorer (and Mi 8 Pro), Xiaomi decided to find a solution to these problems. It came up with an additional sensor – a highly sensitive pressure sensor.

The pressure sensor is doing two jobs here – first, it reduces the time taken to unlock the device as you don’t have to keep your finger on the screen for as long as required by the Vivo X21. Its high sensitivity helps it detect the faintest of touches from your finger which then prompts it to wake the fingerprint sensor for scanning.

Secondly, the fingerprint sensor is only active when the pressure-sensitive sensor wakes it up. It is not constantly scanning for a finger like the Vivo X21 which means it isn’t consuming as much battery. These features give Xiaomi an edge over Vivo’s own devices with in-display fingerprint scanners.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite first official teaser for global launch released

Notwithstanding, we believe Vivo is also working on new ways to improve its next-gen in-display scanners which should appear in its devices slated for next year.

The post How Xiaomi and Vivo’s In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Technology Differ appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition is at the top of the Mi 8 series. Since its launch, it has remained a China-exclusive but that may be changing soon.

Remember the Mi 8 Explorer Edition with a smaller notch seen on TENAA last month? A device with the exact model number has been seen at Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). What is interesting is that the listing also reveals the Xiaomi M1807E8A will be marketed as the Mi 8 Pro and not the Mi 8 Explorer Edition.

Apart from having a smaller notch, the Mi 8 Pro has the same specs as the Mi 8 Explorer Edition. There are unconfirmed rumors that the smaller notch may mean it won’t have the advanced 3D face scanning technology of the Explorer Edition.

The Mi 8 Pro has a 6.21-inch OLED screen with a 2248 x 1080 resolution. It is powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset with 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB of RAM. Depending on the RAM, the phone will have 64GB, 128GB or 256GB of storage.

There is a 20MP sensor in front and dual 12MP sensors on the rear. It has an in-display fingerprint scanner and packs a 2900mAh battery. It also runs Android 8.1 Oreo.

READ MORE: Xiaomi M1808D2TE seen on TENAA may be the Mi 8 Youth

There is no info with respect to a release date for the Mi 8 Pro yet. We also do not know if Xiaomi will be launching it in other countries too.

(Source, Via)

The post Mi 8 Explorer Edition heading outside china but will be called Mi 8 Pro appeared first on Gizmochina.

As is the tradition with benchmark site AnTuTu, a list of the best smartphones in terms of performance has been released. This list is for the month of August and only covers Android devices.

At the top of the list is Xiaomi’s Black Shark gaming smartphone. The Snapdragon 845-powered device has an AnTuTu score of 292,887 points. The Black Shark packs 8GB of RAM but also has a 6GB variant. It uses liquid cooling to prevent the device from heating up when in use.

Next on the list is the Meizu 16th. This is Meizu’s latest flagship released in August and it’s interesting to see it close to the top on its very first appearance. Just like the Black Shark, it has a Snapdragon 845 processor under its hood and also uses liquid cooling tech. The Meizu 16th scored 291025 points – roughly 2000 less than the Black Shark. The bigger version, the Meizu 16th Plus has a higher score but didn’t make it to the list due to insufficient sampling according to AnTuTu.

Grabbing the third spot is Smartisan’s Nut R1 flagship with 289490 points. This is yet another interesting device from China and one that will likely not make it out of the country (officially).

The Vivo NEX with its pop-out front-facing camera is at the 4th position with 286,286 points while Xiaomi’s Mi 8 Explorer Edition follows closely with 286268 points. The OPPO Find X is sixth on the list with 285,344 points.

The OnePlus 6 is at the 7th position but may end up getting pushed down further next month when devices like the Meizu 16th Plus and the soon-to-be-announced Nubia Z18 make the list.

The Snapdragon 845 version of the Samsung Galaxy Note9 is at the 8th spot while the Mi 8 and Mi MIX 2S close the top ten list with 272,527 and 265,256 points respectively.

READ MORE: Vivo X23 appears on AnTuTu to confirm Snapdragon 670 processor, 8GB RAM

As you must have observed, all the devices on the list are powered by the same Qualcomm chipset. This should change by November when the Krin 980-powered Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro make the list.

Is your phone among the most powerful Android phones for August? Let us know in the comment box.

(Via)

The post AnTuTu releases list of best performing smartphones for August 2018 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Over the last couple of days, Xiaomi has been rolling out a stable version of MIUI 10 to its phones. It started with the Mi 6 and has hit the Mi 8 SE, the Mi MIX 2, Redmi Note 5, Mi Note 3, and Mi 5. If you are an owner of the Mi 8 Explorer Edition, then you will be happy to know it is the turn of your device.

The MIUI 10 update has started rolling out to the Mi 8 Explorer Edition. The update is 644MB in size and brings a number of new features such as a new navigation system for phones with a full-screen display, a new multitasking menu, a driving mode, and more. The update comes as version MIUI 10.0.4.0.OEHCNFH.

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition has a 6.21-inch AMOLED display with a 1080 x 2248 resolution and a notch at the top. It is powered by a Snapdragon 845 processor with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

READ MORE: Xiaomi’s President posts image of the Mi MIX 3, launching in October

There are dual 12MP sensors on the back of the device and a 20MP front-facing camera. Unlike the regular Mi 8, the Explorer Edition has an under-display fingerprint scanner. It also has an IR face recognition scanner, dual-band GPS, and NFC. The Mi 8 Explorer Edition has a 3,000mAh battery with support for Quick Charger 4.0+ support.

(Source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition receives MIUI 10 stable update appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition turned out to be an instant hit. The device has courted a high level of attention since its launch alongside the Mi 8 and Mi 8SE. The model recently went on sale for the first time and that too as a hit. A new TENAA listing for the device has been spotted and it points to a slightly modified variant. 

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition had earlier gotten certified by TENAA but this is obviously a different model as it has a different model number. While the first listing had the model number M1807E8S, the new model has the model number M1807E8A. Apart from that, the design looks quite different. In this case, the front camera looks to be closer to the earpiece on this model whereas it is farther apart on the model already launched. 

As you’re aware, the standout feature on the Mi 8 Explorer Edition is the translucent back but the device also comes with 3D Face unlock as well as on-screen fingerprint technology. It is possible this model will not have the 3D face unlock. In addition, this model has a 4GB RAM variant in addition to 6GB of RAM and 8GB of RAM. The Mi 8 Explorer edition was only released with 8GB of RAM onboard.

Read Also: Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition translucent back in official pictures

This model is listed with a 6.21-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of  2248×1080 pixels resolution. The device is also expected to pack a Snapdragon 845 chipset. If Xiaomi should launch this in due course, the price tag would likely be lower than the present model which is priced around $530 in China.

(source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition with a smaller notch spotted on TENAA appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition is the third and the most expensive variant of Xiaomi’s Mi 8 trio. When it launched back in May, its transparent rear got some folks curious and propped up questions as to its authenticity. Apparently, the internals of a phone doesn’t look that good which means what we are actually seeing isn’t the phone’s real internals.

Xiaomi released a statement saying the design isn’t a sticker slapped on to the rear and that the device is indeed transparent. They also added that what we see are actual parts of the mainboard. It turns out Xiaomi wasn’t entirely honest with its explanation.

The individual who first raised concerns about the design has posted images of what is actually inside the Mi 8 Explorer Edition. The images show what appears to be a 3D printed motherboard on a plate.

According to the original source (@Ice Universe) of the photos, it is a complex etching process as the resistors and capacitors are 3-dimensional and likely real parts though they are just there for cosmetic reasons.

So to sum it all up, the back of the phone is transparent, what we see is not a sticker but actual components of a motherboard and not the motherboard.

Nevertheless, the news doesn’t seem to affect the sales of the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition. It went on sale today for the first time and is now out of stock, selling out in just a minute.

Priced at ¥3699 (~$543), the Mi 8 Explorer Edition comes with a 6.21-inch AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top. It has a 1080 x 2248 resolution and an 18.7:9 aspect ratio, thanks to the notch at the top.

That notch is home to a 20MP sensor and a 3D face unlock system like that of the iPhone X. It is powered by the Snapdragon 845 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It also has 12MP dual cameras on its rear.

READ MORE: Xiaomi POCOPHONE F1 Bluetooth certification reveals camera specs

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition is also the first Xiaomi phone to have an in-display fingerprint scanner. Under its glass back is a 3000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4.0+. It has a USB-C port, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, and runs Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box.

(Sources: 1, 2, Via)

The post Mystery Solved: Mi 8 Explorer Edition Transparent Back Design appeared first on Gizmochina.

Along with its flagship Mi 8 and Mi 8 SE smartphones, Xiaomi had also announced Mi 8 Explorer Edition. While other models went on sale in May, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition was supposed to go on sale on July 24 but it was delayed by a week. Now, the company has revealed that the Mi 8 Explorer Edition with transparent back will be available from July 30.

After waiting for about two months, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition with translucent back will finally be available for purchase in China today for the first time. It is priced at 3,699 Yuan, which roughly converts to $545 and will be available at 07:30 PM in China.

The translucent glass back shows the internal components of the smartphone in a beautiful way. However, it was recently revealed that the translucent back isn’t showing the real internals. Also, instead of the regular fingerprint sensor, the device comes with an on-screen fingerprint reader that enables users to unlock the phone by a simple touch. It also supports Face ID for unlocking the device with facial recognition.

The smartphone features a 6.21-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a screen-to-body ratio of 83.8 percent and 1080 x 2248 pixels screen resolution with 402ppi pixel density. It comes with a 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel dual-camera setup with 4-axis optical image stabilization and dual-pixel PDAF. There’s a 20-megapixel front-facing snapper for taking selfies.

Read More: Xiaomi’s newly announced Mi Router 4C goes on sale in China for just 79 Yuan ($12)

The Mi 8 Explorer edition is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and comes in only one memory configuration — 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The phone runs on Android Oreo 8.1 with Xiaomi’s custom interface MIUI 10 and is fuelled by a 3,000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4.0+ fast charging.

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition with transparent back to go on sale in China today for the first time appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Exlorer Edition was announced alongside the Mi 8 and Mi 8SE. While the other models have been on sale since their launch on May 31, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition only went on sale July 24. Considering the high approval rating the device got, the first sale was concluded within a short time with all units sold out. Xiaomi has now revealed that the Mi 8 Explorer Edition will be available on Xiaomi Mall from July 30 with a 3,699 yuan (~$545) price tag. This is a considerably modest price for a device with such specs. Comparably, the Mi 8 6GB + 256GB version comes in at 3,299 yuan (~$486), so you decide.

Among its stand out features is a translucent glass back which shows the internal components in a beautiful way. The device doesn’t feature a fingerprint sensor at the back instead, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition has an on-screen fingerprint reader that enables users to unlock the phone by a simple touch. The display is equipped with a highly sensitive pressure sensor, so with just a light touch the fingerprint is scanned and the device unlocked. The device supports Face ID and also onboard is a Snapdragon 845 chipset.

Read Also: Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition Combines A Pressure Sensitive Sensor With Synaptics In-Display Fingerprint Scanner For Faster Unlocking

The Mi 8 Explorer edition is fuelled by a 3000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4.0+ fast charge. The device is only available in 8GB + 128GB memory configuration. So, you’ll agree it is a bang for your bucks at just $545. There is still no word on when the device will be available outside China. Whenever it does, the price will definitely be slightly higher but if you are getting it from third-party retailers, the retail price might burn a hole in your pocket.

(via)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition billed to go on sale again on July 30 via Xiaomi Mall appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi had launched the Mi 8 Explorer Edition with translucent rear on May 31 alongside the Mi 8 and Mi 8 SE smartphones. The Mi 8 has been available for buying at the beginning of the previous month. However, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition is slated to hit the markets by late July. The smartphone has now appeared with model number of M1807E8S on TENAA with its entire specs and image which indicates its arrival in China could be close at hand.

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition has an impressive rear design as it gives a view of the innards of the phone. It does not really show the internal parts of the phone, but they are dummy components placed on the motherboard. Nevertheless, the translucent shows the Snapdragon SoC, the newly designed NFC coil and the Kevlar textured battery.

Apart from the translucent back panel, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition has some more attractive features such as in-display fingerprint scanner and 3D facial scanner. In fact, it is the first Android phone to arrive with support for 3D facial scanning. Also, Xiaomi has included its own version of animated emojis like Animoji on iPhone X. It is equipped with dual-band GPS technology for accurate location tracking.

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition features a 6.21-inch S-AMOLED display. The handset measures 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6mm and 177 grams. It includes a 2,900mAh battery. An octa-core processor that clocks at 2.8 GHz powers the smartphone.

Read More: Buy Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 Smartphone At Heavily Discounted Price On GeeKmaxi

At the launch event, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition was shown with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. However, the TENAA listing reveals multiple RAM variants like 4 GB, 6 GB and 8 GB and storage models such as 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB. It is fitted with a pair of 12-megapixel rear cameras and a front-facing camera of 20-megapixel. Since the smartphone is arriving later in this month, it may include MIUI 10 based Android 8.1 Oreo.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition carries a price tag of 3,699 Yuan (~$577) for the variant that includes 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Since it is slated to hit the market by late July, Xiaomi is likely to confirm on its release date soon.

(source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition gets TENAA approval; Release date could be near appeared first on Gizmochina.

In the previous month, the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) had certified several existing and unannounced smartphones from Xiaomi. The smartphones approved by EEC are expected to debut in Europe in future. Few more Xiaomi handsets were also certified yesterday by the EEC.

Smartphones such as Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite, Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi 8 SE, Mi 8 Pro, Redmi 6, Redmi 6 Pro, Redmi 6A, Redmi 6S and Redmi 6X were certified by the EEC yesterday. As it can be seen, some of these smartphones have already launched in China, but Mi A2 Lite, Mi 8 Pro, Redmi 6S and 6X are yet to go official. EEC certificate was issued to these smartphones on June 14, 2018 and it is valid until January 2027.

The Mi A2 Lite with a model number of M1805D15SG was spotted at the Singapore’s Communications Authority in the previous month. Apart from this, there is no other information available on this smartphone.

Among the recently introduced Redmi 6 series, the Redmi 6 Pro features a notched 19:9 display whereas the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A phones have notch-less 18:9 display. Since the Redmi 6 and 6X are not “Pro” models, there is a possibility that they arrive with full screen design like the Redmi 6 and 6A smartphones.

The Mi 8 Pro was not announced at the launch event of Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer Edition and Mi 8 SE that was held at the end of May. There is a possibility that the Mi 8 Pro could be nothing but the highest storage variant of the Mi 8 that features 256 GB of storage.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 6X Hatsune Miku Special Edition Launched in China for 2,099 Yuan (~$317)

Apart from the aforementioned devices, smartphones like Mi 7 Lite, Mi Mix 2s, Mi Mix 3S, Mi S1, Mi S2, Mi S3, Redmi S1, Redmi S3, Redmi A1, Redmi A2, Redmi Note 6, Redmi Note 6A, Redmi Note 6A Prime, Redmi Note 6 Prime, Redmi 6 Plus, and Redmi 6A Plus were also approved by EEC in May. Xiaomi made its foray into the Eastern Europe earlier this year including its launch in Russia and it is also working on expanding its business in Western Europe. Hence, it appears that all the Xiaomi phones that have been approved by EEC recently may soon begin launching in Europe.

(via)

The post Redmi 6X, 6S, Mi A2 Lite and Mi 8 Pro Have Received EEC Approval Along With Other Xiaomi Phones appeared first on Gizmochina.

It is not unusual for manufacturers to brag about sales especially when they have crossed a target within a short period of time. This time around, it is the turn of Xiaomi and the Mi 8 series.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 series – Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, and the Mi 8 SE – launched on May 31. The three devices then went on sale on June 5. A little over two weeks later, Xiaomi says it has sold over 1 million units!

Sharing some amazing news.

The Mi 8 series first went on sale on June 5. Just 18 days later, we've already sold over 1M units!#Xiaomi #Mi8 pic.twitter.com/dH36P6Wgt8

— Donovan Sung (@donovansung) June 23, 2018

The announcement was made on Twitter by Donovan Sung, global spokesperson for Xiaomi.

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition is the top flagship with an in-display fingerprint scanner and 3D facial recognition. The Mi 8 comes with the same Snapdragon 845 chipset but skips on an in-display fingerprint scanner and has a less advanced face recognition. The Mi 8 SE is the world’s first Snapdragon 710 smartphone and comes with an AMOLED display and dual cameras.

READ MORE:

In other news, Xiaomi also announced that it is now the 3rd largest e-commerce platform in India based on smartphone shipments, coming after Flipkart and Amazon.

(Sources: 1, 2)

The post Xiaomi Has Sold 1 Million Units Of the Mi 8 Series appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition (EE) is the first Xiaomi phone to come with an in-display fingerprint scanner. It is also the first smartphone in the world to use a pressure sensitive in-display fingerprint scanner. Reports have revealed that the scanner is Synaptics Clear ID FS9500.

The Clear ID FS9500 was announced in December by Synaptics Inc. When it was announced, it was reported that Synaptics was working with one of the top five smartphone manufacturers. Synaptics itself later revealed that it was shipping the scanners to Vivo. That scanner is what is used in the Vivo X21 UD.

Although Vivo is the first manufacturer in the world to release a phone with an in-display fingerprint scanner, Xiaomi’s Mi 8 EE has an edge over it. Apart from the Synaptics scanner, it also has a dedicated pressure-sensitive sensor that makes unlocking faster.

The sensor has a high sensitivity that immediately detects when the finger is placed on the display and “wakes the main scanner up”. This allows the Mi 8 EE unlock faster than the Vivo X21 UD even though they both use Synaptics Clear ID FS9500 sensor.

READ MORE: Xiaomi’s Mi 6X Gets 4GB RAM And 32GB Storage Variant In China

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition not only has a faster scanner, it is also the first Android phone with 3D face unlock. This is more secure than that found in other Android phones.

(Source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition Combines A Pressure Sensitive Sensor With Synaptics In-Display Fingerprint Scanner For Faster Unlocking appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi had a blast announcing not one or two but a total of 7 new products at its 8th Anniversary event in Shenzhen earlier today. The products ranged from smartphones, VR headsets, Mi TVs, and even fitness trackers. Overall, it was a feast for Xiaomi fans and now we want to know which was your favourite Xiaomi product from the event today.

Out of the 7 products announced at the event, there were three smartphones, a new generation of its OS, a large screen Mi TV, a fitness tracker, and finally a VR headset for China.

We take a look at the key details of each of the products announced today in this post, and let us know which is your favourite among these.

1. Xiaomi Mi 8

• Snapdragon 845
• Dual Frequency GPS
• 6.21-inch AMOLED Display
• 12MP AI Dual Cameras with 1.4um Pixels
• 99 DxOMark Score
• IR Face Unlock
• Starts at 2699 Yuan (~$421)

2. Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition

• Snapdragon 845
• Pressure Sensitive In Display Fingerprint
• 3D Facial Recognition
• Translucent Back
• 8GB + 128GB
• Rest Same As Mi 8
• Starts At 3699 Yuan ($577)

3. Xiaomi Mi 8 SE 

• Snapdragon 710
• 5.88-inch AMOLED Display
• 12MP + 5MP AI Cameras
• Enhanced Low Light Photography
• 20MP Front Camera With AI Portraits
• 3120mAh
• Starts At 1799 yuan ($280)

4. MIUI 10

• New Recent Apps Menu
• Full Screen Optimizations
• New Voice Assisted Driving Mode
• New Smart Home Manager
• Single Camera AI Portraits
• New Visual UI

5. Mi TV 4 75-inch

• Super Thin Body
• Integrated Voice Assistant
• 4K HDR UltraHD Display
• 2GB + 32GB
• 64-bit Cortex A53 Powered Quad Core Chip
• Dolby/ DTS Audio
• 8999 yuan ($1405)

6. Xiaomi Mi Band 3

• 0.78-inch OLED Touch Display
• 20 Day Battery Life
• Call & App Notifications
• Swimming Pool friendly (50M)
• 169 Yuan ($26)

7. Mi VR Standalone

• Rebranded Oculus Go
• SD821
• 2K Fast Switch Screen
• 1000 Oculus Optimized Games
• 360 Degree Audio Experience
• ¥1499 (~$234)

So what is your favourite Xiaomi product from today’s event? Which one will you pick?

Personally, at a starting price of ~$580, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition looks like a solid deal! What’s your take?

The post What Was Your Favourite Product From Xiaomi’s Anniversary Event Today? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Apart from launching the Xiaomi Mi 8 as its 8^th Anniversary flagship and Mi 8 SE smartphones today through an unveil event in Shenzhen, Xiaomi has also launched the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition which is nothing but an advanced version of the Xiaomi Mi 8. At the launch event, the Chinese manufacturer said that the Mi 8 Explorer Edition smartphone offers a number of world premiere features. It’s the first Android smartphone that supports 3D facial recognition. It is also the first phone along with Mi 8 to feature dual-band GPS technology. Also, it is equipped with an pressure-sensitive in-display fingerprint reader.

Design and Display

Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition features a 2.5D translucent glass rear that is curved towards the edges. The translucent back gives a clear view of the innards of the phone such as the new design for the NFC coil, Kevlar texture for the battery and other components. The handset measures 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6mm and it weighs 177 grams. The size of the phone is similar to a traditional 5.2-inch phone.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 EE also features a 6.21-inch S-AMOLED display like the Mi 8. It produces 18.7:9 aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution of 2248 x 1080 pixels. and it delivers a screen-to-body ratio of 86.12 percent. The screen is enabled with features like DCI-P3 color gamut, 60000:1 contrast ratio, up to 600nits brightness, HDR support, Eye protection mode, and Always-On Display.

In-Display Fingerprint Scanner and 3D Facial Recognition

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition has an in-screen fingerprint reader that enables users to unlock the phone simply touch and scan fingerprint sensor embedded that is embedded in its display. Xiaomi claims that since the display of the phone is equipped with highly sensitive pressure sensor, it can instantly scan and unlock the phone by touching on the screen gently. Hence, a user does not require to press harder on the screen to unlock it. Xiaomi claims it is the first smartphone in the world with pressure sensitive in-screen fingerprint technology.

Like the iPhone X’s Face ID feature, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition features a complex structured light 3D module to enable 3D facial scanning. The notch of the Mi 8 Explorer Edition includes components like selfie camera, proximity sensor, ambient sensor, infrared lens, flood illuminator and dot projector.

The selfie camera captures the face data of the user by analyzing more than 33,000 invisible points of the face of the users to create a depth map. The infrared lens also captures the infrared image of the face at the same time. The AI engine of the SoC comes into play to convert the depth map and infrared image into a mathematical representation which is then matched the registered facial data stored on the phone to unlock it. Xiaomi claims that the probability of cracking the Face ID on MI 8 Explorer Edition is like one in one million. Even Apple said the same thing when it announced Face ID for iPhone X.

Dubbed as “Mi Meng” in Chinese is Xiaomi’s take on animated emojis that is also available on the iPhone X. With AI, the front camera can capture up to 52 facial muscle movements to create different animated characters that can imitate the face expressions and voice of the user.

Performance

Like the Mi 8, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition is driven by Snapdragon 845 that comes with an Artificial Intelligence Engine. The SoC is coupled with 8 GB of RAM and it comes with an inbuilt storage of 128 GB. It also features a 3,000mAh battery that is found under the hood of the Mi 8. The Mi 8 EE supports Quick Charge 4+ fast charging. It pre-loaded with MIUI 10 based Android 8.1 Oreo.

Cameras and Other Features

The dual camera setup that includes a wide-angle 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 primary sensor that is equipped with f/1.8 aperture and 1.4micron pixel size. It is accompanied by a secondary 12-megapixel S5K3M3 telephoto lens that has an aperture of f/2.4 and 1micron pixel size. It offers camera features like 4-axis OIS, optical zoom and dual autofocus, AI Studio Lighting for enhanced portrait shots, AI scene detection and video editing, 4K UHD video shooting and Full HD slow-motion recording at 240fps. Xiaomi revealed the camera prowess of the phone by saying that the Mi 8 has scored 105 in photography benchmarks on DxOMark.

The 20-megapixel selfie camera is placed inside the notch. Apart from 3D facial recognition, it offers features like 3D Beauty, 10 kinds of AI scene detection, mirror function and HDR.

The connectivity features available on the Mi 8 Explorer Edition include 4G VoLTE, dual-SIM support, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C and 3.5mm audio jack. Like the Mi 8, the Explorer Edition is also blessed with dual-band GPS for accurate GPS navigation compared to conventional smartphones.

Pricing and Availability

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer comes in a single edition which features 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage and it is priced at 3,699 Yuan (~$577). Xiaomi is yet to reveal information on its availability.

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition with 3D Facial Recognition, In-Display Fingerprint Sensor & Translucent Rear Goes Official appeared first on Gizmochina.