Paranoid Android is one of the popular custom ROMs based on Android. Every new release of the software bears a unique name. The latest release based on Android 12 is called Sapphire. This new version of the custom ROM has now added support for some of the well-known Xiaomi smartphones, including POCO F1.

According to XDA Developers, the Android 12-based Paranoid Android Sapphire custom ROM now officially supports the following Xiaomi phones.

• POCO F1
• Xiaomi Mi 8
• Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S
• Redmi Note 7 Pro

All the aforementioned handsets were quite popular when they were released. Because each one of them offered more for their asking price tag. Above all, like any Xiaomi device, they are still well-known in the custom ROM community.

Hence, it is not surprising to learn that they are now officially supported by the Paranoid Android team for the Android 12-based Saphhire release. Currently, all four smartphones have a single alpha build. We expect more builds in the near future.

The POCO F1, Mi 8, and Mi MIX 2S were originally launched with MIUI 9 based on Android Oreo. Currently, the trio runs MIUI 12 based on Android 10. This means they have received three MIUI updates and 2 Android updates over the years. In other words, their official software support from Xiaomi has almost ended. They may now only receive necessary security update if any.

On the other hand, the Redmi Note 7 Pro debuted with MIUI 10 based on Android 9. Unfortunately, it has only got access to a single Android update and two MIUI updates as it currently runs MIUI 12.5 based on Android 10.

Therefore, the only way to experience Android 12 or even Android 11 on these phones is through custom ROMs.

RELATED:

• Xiaomi sold 1 in 4 smartphones in India in 2021, Samsung followed with 18% market share
• MIUI 13 global rollout to begin in Q1 2022; here’s the list of devices getting the update
• Redmi 9, Redmi Note 9, and POCO M2 to get Android 12 update: Report
• Realme Pad to get Android 12 update in Q3 2022: Official

The post POCO F1, Redmi Note 7 Pro, and 2 more Xiaomi phones now support Android 12-based Paranoid Android Sapphire appeared first on Gizmochina.

Last month, soon after Microsoft released the Windows 11 Preview, the Mi 8 smartphone from Xiaomi was flashed with the Windows 11 operating system. The development came soon after the newer OS was loaded on the Lumia 950 XL smartphone by some developers.

Now, a new report claims that the project of flashing the Windows 11 operating system on the Xiaomi Mi 8 smartphone has made significant progress. A video related to the project reveals support for GPU, power management, Wi-Fi, and some other features working normally on the device.

However, nothing everything is working as intended. For instance, there are still issues with the Bluetooth driver and the graphics processor cannot render x64 programs. But we expect many of the issues will get resolved in the coming weeks or months, as the development keeps going on.

The Microsoft Lumia 950 XL and the Xiaomi Mi 8 aren’t the only smartphones running the Windows 11 operating system. As per the report, several devices powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC have successfully run the latest Windows OS.

The list of such smartphones includes OnePlus 6, OnePlus 6T, Xiaomi Mi MIX 3, Xiaomi Pocophone F1, Meizu 16th, Meizu 16th Plus, Hammer Nut R1, Black Shark Phone 1, OPPO Find X, Xiaomi MIX2S, LG G7, Samsung S9+, Nubia X, Nokia 9 PureView, ASUS ZenFone 5Z, and Vivo NEX dual-screen version, among others.

RELATED: 

• Xiaomi reportedly halts production of Redmi Note 10 smartphone in Indonesia due to chip shortage issues
• New trademark filing from the brand indicates Xiaomi Mi Care repair services could soon arrive in other markets
• Xiaomi announces September 15 Global Launch event, likely for Mi 11T and Mi Pad 5

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 smartphone with Windows 11 OS gets support for several new features appeared first on Gizmochina.

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.

The Mi 8 was Xiaomi’s flagship smartphone of 2018. The handset has powerful internals like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. Hence, even after three years, the company is still supporting it. The device has now started receiving the latest version of Xiaomi’s mobile operating system based on Android – MIUI 12.5.

Xiaomi has been rolling out MIUI 12.5 update for eligible devices worldwide. Now, as the firm is done seeding out the update for newer flagships and mid-rangers, it has started updating its older premium smartphones like Mi 8.

Just last week, Xiaomi confirmed the MIUI 12.5 update for a number of its classic flagships. One of them was Mi 8 and it is now receiving the said update in China with build number V12.5.1.0.QEACNXM.

Right now, this software build is in the ‘Stable Beta’ phase. This means it is being rolled out in batches for a select few units in China. However, it should reach all the units in the coming days. Similarly, all other regional variants (Global, Russia) should also start receiving the update.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 debuted with MIUI 9 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. So far, the handset has received three MIUI updates, namely MIUI 10, MIUI 11, and MIUI 12. Additionally, it also got two Android updates – Android 9.0 Pie and Android 10. Although it is being updated to MIUI 12.5, it will neither get Android 11 nor the upcoming MIUI 13, as per Xiaomi’s update track record.

RELATED:

• Upcoming Xiaomi Mi CC series smartphone will focus on design and camera: Rumor
• Xiaomi could offer 100W fast charging support to Redmi Note series smartphones
• Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 series gets certified by EEC; launch imminent
• Lei Jun: There are still more than 2 million Xiaomi Mi 6 users

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 starts receiving 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.

Today we are not going to talk about any new devices. Instead, we will go through the history of Xiaomi Mi series smartphones, so that you can get a better idea of what kind of brand Xiaomi exactly is. And how they have evolved over the past few years. 

The year 2020 marks the tenth year of Xiaomi, a company that is undoubtedly an industry legend. In this decade, Xiaomi has not only been ranked among the top five in the world in terms of smartphone sales year after year but has also made it to the top 500 companies in the world. And in its tenth year, the Xiaomi Mi 10 marked the beginning of a move away from being extremely cost-effective flagships and into the ranks of high-end and premium phones.

But we can’t talk about Xiaomi’s success without talking about its flagship phones. So let’s go back in time and see how the youngest ever Fortune 500 company went from zero to tens of billions of dollars in market capitalization.

What you may not know is that in the first year of Xiaomi, its first product launched was not a mobile phone, but a customized operating system based on Android called MIUI, whose smooth, user-friendly experience built up a good reputation for Xiaomi.

Xiaomi Mi 1

And in the second year, i.e. in August 2011, the first Xiaomi phone, the Xiaomi Mi 1 with MIUI was launched. In the first online sale of the phone, 300 thousand units were sold out in just 5 minutes. The popularity was not only due to the fluid experience of MIUI but also because of its unbelievable pricing strategy. While having a similar configuration to the Samsung Galaxy S2, it was only half the price of the S2. Coming with a Snapdragon S3 1.5GHz dual-core chipset, a 4-inch display with 245ppi, and 1GB RAM, all of which were top configurations back then, the Mi 1 was priced at 1999RMB, which converted to around 300USD. At that time, no one could do that, except for Xiaomi.

Since then, the number 1999, has become Xiaomi’s lucky number, and it’s like a Magic spell.

But to be honest, the design of the first Mi phone was not outstanding at all, which also became one of the most criticized points of the Xiaomi flagships in the latter years. 

Xiaomi Mi 2

In the summer of 2012, Xiaomi released the Mi 2, which not only had an upgraded SoC but also had a bigger screen with a 342ppi resolution, which was even better than the Apple iPhone 4s. And it was equipped with 2GB of RAM, which was not common at that time. The Mi 2 continued Mi 1’s trend of offering superb value for money and also continued to gain strong support from Mi fans at the same price of 1999RMB. Hundreds of thousands Mi 2 in stock were sold out within minutes each time. 

Xiaomi Mi 2S

However, the most famous model of Mi 2 series is not the Mi 2. Instead, it’s the Mi 2s released in 2013. In that year, Xiaomi released 3 phones: the Mi 2S, the Redmi 1,

and the Mi 3. The Mi 2S was an improved version of the Mi 2, with an updated MIUI, a new snapdragon 600 SoC, and, as usual, the same price at 1999RMB. 

While the Android phones of the same period were relatively less powerful, the Mi 2s had a clear advantage at the time with excellent performance and powerful software support. And thanks to the long official support from MIUI 4 to MIUI 9, the Mi 2s has become one of the longest-lived models among all the Mi phones.

Because of its strong performance, it is still able to run some of the mainstream apps of today. Even now there are some users who haven’t given up on this model. That’s why the 2s was also known as a classic magic model by Mi fans in China, just like the iPhone 4 for Apple.

Although Mi phones have had great sales success from the Mi 1 to the Mi 2s, too many consumers complained about the lack of stock all the time, many of them started questioning Xiaomi as a ‘monkey tricking’ company that uses thirsty marketing strategies to consume users’ patience and enthusiasm. But the partial reason might be that as a startup lacking production capacity, Xiaomi didn’t have the ability to quickly respond to the huge market demand. 

Redmi 1

By the way, the first Redmi phone was released in the same year. As Xiaomi’s first sub-brand, Redmi took on the role of Xiaomi’s foothold in the budget market. For only around 120 USD, you could get a branded quality phone that was good value for money, which was a rarity in the global phone market at that time. More than 9 million pre-sales orders also proved the Redmi brand was on the right path. And the Xiaomi brand continued to build up its strength to make a real high-end flagship. 

Xiaomi Mi 3

Now coming back to the Mi 3 flagship released later the year. Xiaomi abandoned the mediocre design of the predecessors and changed it into a totally new design with a more angular appearance. It came with the global debut of the snapdragon 800 soc and an upgraded 1080P display with a 441PPI resolution. And the M3 was the first Xiaomi phone that had a non-removable rear cover. Thanks to the more integrated body, its battery capacity was improved to 3050mAh. Even with all these significant upgrades, again, Xiaomi continued the pricing strategy of starting from 1999RMB, not disappointing fans who believed they could get the phone at the amazing 1999RMB price tag. 

Clearly, it must have taken Xiaomi a lot of courage and efforts to bring such an important product at such an affordable price tag. However, the Mi 3 became a unique model in the history of Mi Phones with people’s polarized reviews. In addition to the praises about the upgrades we mentioned, some accused it of copying the industrial design of the Nokia Lumia series and complained about its poor build quality. 

Xiaomi Mi 4

In the summer of 2014, after the controversial design of Mi 3, the Mi 4 was released. For the Mi 4, Xiaomi put its focus on the phone’s design upgrades. With the slogan of ‘a steel plate’s artistic journey’, it was the first time a Mi phone used a metal stainless steel frame. And shifting from the angular style of the Mi 3, the Mi 4 returned to the design of the Mi 1 and Mi 2 series. The back cover had a special pattern design, and the whole machine got a huge boost in build quality. Unsurprisingly, 2014 was another year of big sales for Xiaomi.

In 2015, there were no updates of the Mi series. Instead, a new series was launched – the Xiaomi Note 1. As Xiaomi’s first attempt to hit the high-end market, the new Note 1 was not successful. The lack of a fingerprint reader and the four-month delay in the launch of the snapdragon 810 SoC due to overheating issues, left the Note 1 behind most competitors as soon as it went on sale. The lack of a widely praised flagship model in 2015 hinted at the oncoming darkness for Xiaomi.

Xiaomi Mi 5

In early 2016, the Mi 5 eventually came out. With its first attempt at a ceramic back cover, a white front face, a home button with a fingerprint sensor, and the latest Snapdragon 820, it was supposed to sell very well for a starting price of just 1999RMB. but the sales of the Mi 5 again was delayed by nearly eight months and it was out of stock for a long time after it went on sale. The delay affected its sales significantly, and it was the time when the brand was called out most by fans for its ‘hunger marketing’ Basically fans were frustrated that Xiaomi’s best products were not easily available for sale. 

Mi Mix 1

But fortunately, there was another heavyweight that took to the stage in 2016, the Mi Mix 1. For the first time in its history, users saw and admired Xiaomi’s industrial design capabilities on the Mix 1. It came with a full-screen design with three super-narrow bezels and a selfie camera on the chin below., which made it pretty stunning at that time.

Even today, it still looks pretty impressive. The ceramic back cover is as gentle as jade, and the camera and fingerprint reader are placed in the upper center, in line with the symmetrical aesthetic. It’s no exaggeration to say that it has to a certain extent inspired future smartphone screen design. However, the Mix 1 was stuck in the stage of being a concept phone due to the difficulties in production. It wasn’t mass-produced, so there was no way to salvage the decline in sales in 2016. In these two years, Xiaomi suffered its first setback. 

Xiaomi Mi 6

Then came April of 2017, when the phone with the best reputation ever in Xiaomi history, the Mi 6 debuted. It came with a new home button integrated with a fingerprint reader without opening a hole, and also added a telephoto camera. Besides the commendable design and the excellent build quality, the debut of Snapdragon 835 SoC also made it almost impeccable at that time.

The Snapdragon 835 was the best Android chipset in recent years with its excellent power and cooling performance. With almost no shortcomings, it was no longer priced at that familiar 1999RMB, and became the first model in the Mi series to start at more than 1999RMB. However, the 2299RMB starting price didn’t stop fans from purchasing the device. The success of the Mi 6 finally broke the price barrier of its flagships and further verified the importance of the product quality and performance. And so far, the Mi 6 is still the only Xiaomi phone that has never dropped in price from launch to exit. 

Xiaomi Mi 8

In 2018, Xiaomi skipped the Mi 7 and released the Mi 8. The Mi 8 has been controversial since its release. It did look like the iPhone. And the Xiaomi Mi 8 became the least distinctive model of the whole series. Even the infrared emitter, a standard feature that Mi series pride themselves on, was removed. Despite this, sales of the Mi 8 continued to rise because of its excellent value for money. At that time, you only needed to pay 2699RMB to get a flagship having a snapdragon 845 Soc, dual-band GPS, and infrared facial recognition for unlocking even in the dark. And more importantly, this was also the first time that Xiaomi started paying attention to the phone’s camera. Meanwhile, the camera department started to run independently to serve all the Xiaomi phones. 

Xiaomi Mi 9

In 2019, the Xiaomi Mi 9, codenamed ‘battle angel’, was launched. It featured three rear cameras, a Primary camera, a wide-angle camera and another telephoto camera, first time achieving three stages of focal length coverage. The Mi 9 scored 107 in the DXOMark test at that time, placing itself in third place. It’s also the first time that we really saw Xiaomi being praised for its camera system. Another selling point of the Mi9 was the thinness of 7.61mm and the lightweight body of 173g. With a curved glass cover, the phone did feel pretty impressive when holding in hands.

But the compromise of the Mi 9 was that the battery capacity had to be cut down to 3300mAh. The limited battery life also became the main complaint for the Mi 9, which, to some extent, affected the overall sales of the model. 

At the same time, the Xiaomi founder, Lei Jun said at the launch that the Mi 9 selling for 2999RMB was the last phone to be priced at under 3000RMB. 

Over the years, Xiaomi prepared well for the transition to the high-end market. 

Xiaomi Mi 10

As expected, the Mi 10 powered by Snapdragon 865, which started at 3999RMB, was released this spring. The Mi 10 comes with a 100MP main camera, a 90Hz curved hole-punch display, LPDDR5 RAM plus UFS 3 ROM, and, most importantly, 5G network support. However, although the price was almost twice the initial price of 1999RMB, there were fewer complaints about the Mi 10’s pricing strategy. Compared to other brand flagships, Mi 10 is still one of the most competitive models in the market in its price segment. And besides the Mi 10 itself, Xiaomi offered several models of the Mi 10 series which were developed for different market segments and regions, such as Mi 10 Pro, 10 Lite, 10T, and so on. No doubt the most famous model is the Mi 10 Ultra specially made to commemorate Xiaomi’s 10TH Anniversary. It’s almost the first Mi flagship that took an all-around lead among Android phones and had such high pricing. 

Xiaomi has been recognized as a special brand to make phones with great value for money. Although the flagship Mi series will no longer come with a mid-range price tag, the sub-brand Redmi has taken up the market of budget cost-effective phones. For the past ten years, Xiaomi’s pattern has been imitated by a number of phone brands. However, most of them failed and didn’t survive in this highly competitive industry. 

On the other hand, we do have to add that Xiaomi is not perfect. At least it’s still facing the dilemma between pursuing higher brand value and maintaining its existing user base. And no doubt the success of the Mi 10 Ultra has encouraged Xiaomi to break the dilemma. 

The Mi 11 is about to be released. And we’re really looking forward to Xiaomi bringing us a surprise. 

The post Mi 11 Preview: Here’s how Xiaomi flagships have EVOLVED – from Mi 1 to Mi 10! appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi has been rolling out MIUI 12 stable update for the eligible devices for the past few weeks, in addition to releasing weekly beta builds. The company has been also updating its last year’s budget smartphones to Android 10 at the same time. Joining the list, Mi 8 becomes the first 2018 smartphone to get MIUI 12 stable update.

Like with every other Xiaomi/Redmi smartphone, the MIUI 12 stable update for Mi 8 is initially limited to China. Even in this region, the update is being seeded out in batches as only a handful of users have received it so far.

The update comes with build number V12.0.1.0.QEACNXM and weighs 763MB in size. Since this handset was the company’s flagship smartphone of 2018, we expect it to get all the new features of MIUI 12 including Super Wallpapers, AOD+, Dark Mode 2.0, and others.

That said, if this build receives positive feedback from the limited users who received it, the company will roll out it to more users. Only then, we can expect Xiaomi to push the update to the global versions of the device.

It is worth noting that MIUI 12 is the third MIUI update for the Mi 8 after MIUI 10 and MIUI 11. This handset launched with MIUI 9 based on Android Oreo. Currently, it runs Android 10 and will not receive any platform update but may get MIUI 13.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi is working on “Back Tap” gesture for MIUI 12

(Via)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 gets MIUI 12 stable update in China appeared first on Gizmochina.

Lately, OnePlus 8 Pro has been trending for its color filter camera, which is capable of seeing through thin plastics and clothes. However, it is not the only smartphone to have such capability. The two-year-old POCO F1 and Mi 8 can also click X-Ray-esque pictures with their front-facing IR cameras.

Xiaomi introduced IR camera on Mi 8 for face unlock in low-light conditions. The Poco F1 released later that year also came with the same hardware for similar functionality.

Some users found these handsets to see-through thin plastics a few months after its release by using third-party IR camera apps. Now, there’s even a dedicated app for these two phones called ‘IR camera – Poco F1/Mi8’ on the Google Play Store.

Using this app on Poco F1, users have been clicking and sharing  X-Ray see-through pictures on Reddit lately ever since the OnePlus 8 Pro ‘Photochrom’ filter went viral.

Having said that, no major privacy issue was raised about these two cameras, unlike the OnePlus 8 Pro. That’s because the IR camera sits on the front of these Xiaomi devices and it requires an additional app.

Whereas on the OnePlus 8 Pro, the color filter camera is placed at the back alongside the other shooters. On top of that, the stock OnePlus Camera app has the X-Ray filter built-in. 

OnePlus did issue a statement to disable the ‘Photochrom’ filter within a week, however, it is limited to China. Additionally, it has also confirmed to release an OTA update to offer this filter by ‘limiting other functionality that may be of concern’.

UP NEXT: POCO’s first truly wireless earphones will be called ‘POCO Pop Buds’

The post Poco F1, Xiaomi Mi 8 had X-Ray cameras way before the OnePlus 8 Pro! appeared first on Gizmochina.

Update: Xiaomi has rolled out the Android 10 stable update to Mi 8 Lite as well. You can find download links for all the devices below.

Xiaomi has a long history of updating its entire smartphone lineup to the latest MIUI version available at the time. However, the same cannot be said for the underlying Android platform the MIUI builds are based on. And thus, five of the brand’s yesteryear flagships and their lite devices are receiving the Android 10 stable update only now. The list includes the likes of Mi 8, Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 SE, Mi 9 SE, and Mi 9 Lite.

All the above-mentioned Xiaomi devices were already updated to MIUI 11 in Q4 2019. But all of them received releases based on Android 9.0 Pie rather than the latest version of Android. Following that, these devices did have several beta builds of Android 10 but the company did not roll out the stable releases to the normal users until now.

The stable MIUI 11 builds based on Android 10 is being currently rolled out to the users of Mi 8, Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 SE, Mi 9 SE, and Mi 9 Lite via OTA. However, if you are one of those advanced users who don’t like to wait, you can download the respective ‘Recovery’ and ‘Fastboot’ builds of the update from the links provided below.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi rolls out the long-awaited Android 10 update to Mi 9 Pro 5G

(Via)

The post [Update: Mi 8 Lite too] Android 10 Stable Update now available for Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 SE, Mi 9 SE and Mi 9 Lite appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi has started the rollout for another update of the MIUI 11 for the Mi 8. The smartphone was the Chinese company’s flagship from 2018 and is receiving the stable version of MIUI v11.0.6.0.

For those unaware, the MIUI custom skin is a heavily modified interface based on the Android operating system. So by its extension, the MIUI 11 is based on the latest Android 10. However, officials have stated that users should back up their data on the Xiaomi Mi 8 before starting the update. The reason for this is that certain apps have yet to optimize or be compatible with Android 10.

Editor’s Pick: Logitech Powered 3-in-1 Dock is a cool wireless charger for your phone & gadgets

The Mi 8 first received the MIUI 11 update back in December 2019, which also brought Android 10 to the smartphone. This major update brings various improvements across the board alongside various bug fixes and better stability. One of the notable fixes includes the bug regarding the Xiaomi Mi 8 model’s avatar function. In the new update although the download size can be rather large for some users. Reports suggesting a download size close to or over 2GB in size.

The update is being rolled out in a staggered manner. This means certain Xiaomi Mi 8 users will receive the update before most others. Through this, day one bugs and issues can be avoided if found. So if you haven’t received the update, just wait a bit longer and stay tuned for more Xiaomi updates.

UP NEXT: How good is the Dimensity 800 and which Snapdragon chipset matches it in performance?

(Via)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 starts receiving the MIUI 11 v11.0.6.0 Update appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi has begun rolling out a stable MIUI 11 update to its 2018 flagship, the Mi 8, in China. The update not only brings a new user interface and new features to the phone but also brings Android 10.

The update arrives as MIUI V11.0.5.0.QEACNXM and is 2.1GB in size. Xiaomi advises that users back up their data before they install the update since it not only comes with a new version of MIUI but also upgrades the Android version. Users are also warned that certain apps may be incompatible with Android 10 and may not function properly. However, it is advised that you update your apps afterward as the latest version of the app may have fixed the incompatibility issue.

MIUI 11 brings a redesigned user interface, always-on-display with new customization and personalization options, breathing lights for notifications using the display, new notification sounds inspired by nature, and Mi Work and Mi Life to helo you improve productivity and balance work and personal life. There is also Mi Share for file sharing between compatible devices.

MIUI 11 also has a built-in document viewer called Mi Doc Viewer so you don’t have to download a document viewing app for your device. There is also wireless printing with support for more than 2000 printer models from HP, Lexmark, HP, Sharp, Epson, Toshiba, Kyocera, Lenovo, Mijia and NEC e.t.c. Xiaomi has also included a period tracker, an emergency SOS feature, and a step counter.

There is no news yet with respect to when the stable update will be available for the global version but it should not be far off. The phone launched with Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box and was updated to Android 9 Pie. It should still be eligible for future MIUI updates but this may be its last Android OS upgrade.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi introduces 204 Solid Color Wallpapers for smartphones

(Source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 gets MIUI 11 stable based on Android 10 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi’s MIUI team has been busy for the past few weeks, sending out important MIUI 11 updates to its new and old devices. A number of Xiaomi smartphones including the Mi Mix 3S, Mi Mix 2S, and the Mi 8 SE have already received the new MIUI 11 update based on Android 10. And latest smartphone to be updated to Android 10 is the Xiaomi Mi 8.

Xiaomi has started rolling out MIUI 11 based on Android 10 to Mi 8 users on the beta ROM. The update will bring a host of new MIUI 11 based features to the device and includes the latest October security patch. Given that this MIUI 11 9.10.24 build upgrades the Android version to v10.0, it’s a pretty big file with a size of over 2.1GB. Also, it is recommended to backup your data before upgrading your smartphone.

Note that this is still a beta ROM and is likely to have a few bugs. So, if you use your Mi 8 as your daily driver, it is recommended to wait for the stable release. No word on its rollout but expect it sometime in the next couple of months.

Note that there are only a handful of Xiaomi devices running a stable release of Android 10 right now. So, it will take some time for older devices like the Mi 8 to get Android 10 on the stable release. Also, there’s no word on the Android 10 beta update for devices outside of China.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi starts rolling out MIUI 11 stable version for 12 devices in China

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 finally receives Android 10 via MIUI 11 beta in China appeared first on Gizmochina.

Google has officially released the latest Android 10 and some of the smartphones have already started receiving this new update. While the Google Pixel series, Essential Phone and Xiaomi’s K20 and K20 Pro have got the stable build, phones like OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro are on the beta build.

The source code of the new Android 10 is already up at AOSP and thanks to it, custom ROMs based on Android 10 have started surfacing online. In the latest development, Android 10-based custom ROMs for a few Xiaomi smartphones, including Poco F1, Mi 6, Mi 8, and the Redmi Note 5 have been released.

The popular Poco F1 has now received unofficial Android 10, thanks to the Potato Open Sauce Project (POSP) custom ROM. The ROM is not yet stable and there are some issues such as the fingerprint scanner is not working for some users. It also lacks some features but it’s alright given the early days of development.

The same ROM is also available for the Redmi Note 5 (India) and the Redmi Note 5 Plus (Global). However, the ROM is marked as alpha and it’s advisable to use this only if you are experience in this. It too has issues with the fingerprint scanner and the thermal engine, among others.

The Xiaomi Mi 6 is also receiving Android 10 through unofficial LineageOS 17 build (link) and has only one bug listed which is related to Bluetooth playback. This is quite impressive that an almost stable build is available for the smartphone just days after the rollout of this new version of the operating system. Also, the Mi 8 has got Android 10 through Pixel3 ROM (link), which has some issues with FPC scanners and Google Camera.

(Source)

Up Next: Xiaomi announces Mi Charge Turbo 30W wireless charging, Mi 9 Pro 5G first to get it

The post Android 10 custom ROM for select Xiaomi smartphones is now available appeared first on Gizmochina.

It is not all the time you see a manufacturer market a device that already has a successor, but that is exactly what Xiaomi is doing for the Mi 8 Pro a.k.a. Mi 8 UD.

The official Xiaomi phone Weibo account, as well as that of top executives, has begun advertising the 2018 flagship ahead of the 618 shopping festival. According to Xiaomi, the Mi 8 Pro will now have a starting price of ¥1999 (~$288). That price gets you the 6GB RAM + 128GB version while ¥2199 (~$317) is the price tag for the 8GB RAM + 128GB version.

Those prices are really amazing for a phone that sold for ¥3599 (~$519 for the 8GB RAM version) when it launched last year, but the low price isn’t the only reason why Xiaomi wants you to buy it. The Chinese giant has actually listed 10 new features of the Mi 9 which are now available for the Mi 8 Pro and makes it even a more compelling purchase. Below is the list of new features:

• Game Turbo – improves gameplay quality of games like PUBG
• MI Turbo – improvement in system performance
• New battery optimization features
• NFC support for more bus cards
• Dark Mode
• Dynamic Wallpaper
• Color Always-On-Display
• New charging animation
• In-display fingerprint shortcuts
• Screen stays “locked” when you raise the phone in case you just want to check notifications and time.

In three other separate posts, Xiaomi lists features such as the Snapdragon 845 processor, the dual-frequency GPS, and its pressure-sensitive in-display fingerprint scanner as top features of the phone. It particularly brags about the last two since it is the first phone in the world to have both features.

The Mi 8 Pro has a 6.21-inch 1080 x 2248 Super AMOLED display with a wide notch at the top for an IR Face Unlock mechanism, a 20MP selfie camera, and sensors. It is powered by the 10nm Snapdragon 845 and paired with 6GB/8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It has dual rear cameras – a 12MP f/1.8 primary camera and a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. It has a bunch of camera features including 960fps slow-motion recording and Night Mode.

The Mi 8 Pro packs a 3000mh battery with support for Quick Charge 4+. It charges via a USB Type-C port but misses out on wireless charging like its successor. Add all of the above to its unique see-through back and you will be hard pressed to find a better phone at under $300.

The phone will be available at the new prices on the official Xiaomi online store.

(Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4)

UP NEXT: Xiaomi launches Mi 9T, Mi Smart Band 4 and more in Europe

The post Xiaomi recommends Mi 8 Pro as the phone to buy during 618 festival, now starts at ¥1999 (~$288) appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi has been working on improving the AOD feature of its phones following the launch of the Mi 9. A new feature it has been working on is Dual Clock Always on Display. This allows you to set two different clocks to be shown in AOD mode and comes in handy for those who are frequent travelers.

At the moment, the feature is still limited to the developer version of supported devices but it should become available to stable users via a future update.

The Weibo post which revealed the new feature also revealed more details about Always-on-Display in general. First, the color screen AOD feature will be available to all Xiaomi phones with OLED displays including the Mi 8.

The post also said since the 2016 Mi Note 2 also uses an OLED display, it will also get the feature. The AOD update will arrive on the Mi Note 2 after the Mi 8 and the Mi MIX 3 gets it.

Xiaomi’s CEO, Lei Jun also confirmed that all Xiaomi OLED phones will get the dual-clock feature.

(Sources: 1, 2)

UP NEXT: Get your first look at Xiaomi’s under-display selfie camera phone

The post All Xiaomi phones with OLED panels now support AOD, will also get Dual Clock function appeared first on Gizmochina.

AnTuTu has released a chart of the top Value-for-money smartphones that sold in the Chinese market in the month of April 2019. The ranking categorized into two different price ranges; those priced between 1000~1999 yuan ($147-$294) and models with price ranging from 2000~3000 yuan ($294-$442).

In the 1000~1999 yuan ($147-$294) price category, the Meizu X8 4GB+64GB version emerged as the most cost-effective phone, more than half-a-year after it was launched in China. The Snapdragon 710-powered Meizu X8 is presently selling for 1,198 yuan ($176) on JD.com. For a premium mid-range model, the price sure gives buyers value for their money. Surprisingly, the phone is not even too popular among buyers. That notwithstanding, the X8 pipped other popular models such as the Meizu Note 9, Mi 8 SE to clinch the title.

Read Also: Realme 3 Pro Review: The Best Budget Phone Ever?

In the price range of 2000~3000 yuan ($294-$442), the most cost-effective mobile phone is the ZTE Axon 9 6GB+64GB version, another device that isn’t too popular. The flagship Axon 9 packs a Snapdragon 845 chipset and the 6GB+64GB version is currently sold at 2098 yuan ($309) in China. The phone also features a 6.21-inch AMOLED full screen, HDR10 display, a built-in 4000mAh battery, a rear dual camera setup with support for 130 ° ultra wide-angle camera, and has ultra-linear dual speakers. That should be an amazing buy for just $309. Unfortunately, you won’t get the phone for that amount anywhere outside China. Other great value-for-money phones include the Meizu 16th (6GB+64GB version), Xiaomi Mi 8 (6GB+128GB), Lenovo Z5 Pro GT (6GB+128GB), Smartisan R1 (6GB+128GB), Mi 9 (6GB+128GB), Mi Mix 2s (6GB+128GB) etc.

(source)

The post AnTuTu Best value for money smartphones in April 2019 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi’s Mi 8 transparent edition turned out to be quite popular among fans, all thanks to its unique see-through back design. Naturally, when Xiaomi announced the new Mi 9 lineup earlier this year, we got a new Mi 9 transparent edition as well. However, it looks like the company has finally decided to remove last year’s Mi 8 transparent edition from its official channels.

IThome was first to spot that the old model was no longer available to purchase on the company’s website. A simple search revealed that only its cases were left for purchase. Even on JD.com, it was found that the old model was nowhere to be seen. So it’s quite clear that Xiaomi decided to scrap the old model in favor of the new one.

In case you don’t know, the transparent back on both the Mi 8 and Mi 9 models doesn’t really show the internals of the phone. Unlike the transparent HTC U12+ which did reveal some of its parts, Xiaomi’s take on this design is to fake the internals. This means that what you see on the back is just another design element that’s placed below the glass.

The new Mi 9 transparent model comes with an even fancier design. And, if you don’t mind that it’s a fake design, then it’s definitely something that will stand out of the crowd. Of course, you’ll have to shell out a lot more for the transparent edition, and currently, it retails for nearly $600, that is, if you can get hold of one in a flash sale.

(Via)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Transparent Edition makes way for the new model, No longer Available appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi Mi 8 was the Chinese phone maker’s flagship for last year. Despite the emergence of the Mi 9 yesterday, the Mi 8 still remains a highly desirable, sleek and powerful smartphone. Despite the high-end features it packs, the Mi 9 comes with several improvements over the Mi 8. So, fans would generally shift attention to the new flagship. Well, except they see a good offer that’s too hot to ignore. That is what Xiaomi is planning to do by slashing the price of the Mi 8 by a huge 500 yuan ($74).

The 500 yuan ($74) price cut was announced today by Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun on his Weibo page. The price cut only affects the Mi 8 screen fingerprint version and that is because the current price overlaps with the 2999 yuan starting price of the Mi 9. The new price regime cuts across all the variants of the Mi 8 screen fingerprint variant and is presently in force on Xiaomi’s offline and online stores. Thus, the 6GB+128GB version will retail for 2499 yuan while the 8GB+128GB version will sell for 2899 yuan.

Read Also: The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Is Now Accepting Pre-Order On Giztop

It is worth noting that the Mi 8 Screen fingerprint version comes with a transparent back just like the Mi 8 Explorer edition. The device is powered by Qualcomm’s 2018 flagship chipset – Snapdragon 845. There is no doubt that the device is a value for money phone.

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 gets its first price cut of 500 yuan ($74) after the Mi 9 launch appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi’s president Lin Bin has disclosed that an update that will bring 4K 60fps video capture to the flagship Mi 8 is in the works. The exec hinted this on his Weibo page and even set a timeline when he added that the OTA will be pushed within 2 months. The Mi president was responding to a post shared by a Weibo user containing some samples of the Mi 8 camera’s Night Scene mode capture.

Xiaomi Mi 8 is the company’s 2018 Mi series model and according to official details, the device supports 4K 30fps, 1080p 30fps and 720p 30fps video capture but does not support 60fps. The Mi Mix 3 which has a similar dual camera setup supports The Xiaomi MIX 3 with the same dual camera module supports 4K 30fps, 4K 60fps, 1080p 30fps, 1080p 60fps, 720p 30fps video capture. Recall that the Mi 8 recently got an update which brought the night scene mode to the device. The Night Scene mode was first included on the Mi Mix 3. The Mi 8 has also been tweaked with the 960 frames slow-motion photography, all via OTA updates.

Read Also: Xiaomi Mi 8 SE running Android Q seen on Geekbench

Despite the powerful camera setup and solid hardware configuration, the Mi 8 still ranks as one of the affordable Snapdragon 845 flagship models around. The device presently runs the latest Android 9.0-based MIUI 10. The price even is 200 yuan cheaper presently, starting at 2099 yuan.

(source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 will get OTA update to usher in support for 4K 60fps soon – official 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.

The fourth Thursday of November is usually marked as Thanksgiving Day in the US and this year’s celebration fell on November 22. The Thanksgiving Day holiday isn’t celebrated in China but Xiaomi is trying to leverage on the publicity to sell its smartphones in China. The company is promoting the Mi 8 (8GB RAM + 128GB storage version) with a price cut of 400 yuan. Thus, the Mi 8 is now available for 2,899 yuan for the 8GB + 128GB version instead of 3299 yuan.

The new price cut may only be valid for only the Thanksgiving Day but we expect Xiaomi to effect further price cuts on this model as well as several others. The device is available on Xiaomi’s official Mi.com website. Apart from the 8GB +128GB version, all other memory variants also received price cuts ranging from 200 yuan to 400 yuan. 

Read Also: Win A Xiaomi Mi 8 Smartphone, Epic Coupons And Other Cool Prizes On GearBest

The Mi 8 was released in May this year bearing a mammoth 6.21-inch 2.5D Curved AMOLED screen, FHD+ display with 2248 x1080 pixels resolution for an unmatched viewing experience. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Octa-core processor and it uses an Adreno 630 710MHz GPU, under the hood. The device comes with 6GB of RAM and a offers a hearty 128GB of onboard storage so that you can save your favorite content without worrying about running out of storage space. Moreover, it houses a 12MP+12MP dual camera module on the back and houses a 20MP front shooter for selfies. The Mi 8 equally runs on MIUI 10-based Android 8.1 Oreo OS and draws its juices from a 3400mAh battery. On top of that, the phone features a slew of useful sensors including Infrared face recognition, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, NFC, barometer, and compass.

(source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 discounted heavily on Thanksgiving Day appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi has officially announced that the flagship Mi 8 models running MIUI 10 Development version will soon get an update that will bring Super night scene function. This feature is an improvement of the phone’s might imaging quality. In addition, Xiaomi’s mobile phone product marketing director Qi Zhiyuan added that the Mi 8 will support 960 fps super slo-mo video.

The Super night scene feature first made its debut on the Mi Mix 3 and comes as an entirely new and improved feature for the phone’s night imaging capability. The 960 fps slow-motion video capability is also another highlight of the Mi Mix 3 which is coming to the Mi 8.

Read Also: Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A now available via open sale in India

As stated earlier, these features are only open to users of the Mi 8 running MIUI 10 Development version. The feature will be available after the latest update. It is expected that the update will be available to other versions of the Mi 8 soon. However, these features add to the stunning camera features available on the Mi 8 already. The device packs a powerful 12MP wide-angle Sony IMX363 sensor with 1.4um unit pixel size and a 12MP telephoto camera. The rear cameras support Dual PD dual-core focus, four-axis optical anti-shake, AI-powered scene recognition. Xiaomi Mi 8 was also introduced to have the capability to identify 206 common photo scenes and automatically perform multiple optimizations such as exposure and saturation.  It is worthy of note that the flagship from Xiaomi to have crossed the 100 points mark on DXOMark.

(source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 960 fps slo-mo video support added alongside super night scene feature! appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi today officially entered the UK market with the launch of its Mi 8 Pro flagship smartphone. In the UK, Xiaomi will also open a brick-and-mortar Mi Store in Westfield London on 18th November.

Prior to the company’s official debut in the UK, Xiaomi already had a presence in the European market with Spain where the company has 10 stores. Earlier this year in May, Xiaomi started operations in France and Italy as well.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro will be available in the UK from 9th November for an off-contract price of £499, which roughly converts to $654. It comes in Transparent Titanium color and will be available through Three, Amazon, Argos, John Lewis, Carphone Warehouse, Currys PC World, Very, Mobile Phones Direct, Katana and Mi.com.

Wang Xiang, Senior Vice President of Xiaomi Corporation, said:

Today we witness a new chapter in Xiaomi’s global expansion journey, underpinned by our global ambitions. We are thrilled to make great strides by announcing our arrival in the UK. By bringing a range of our amazing products at honest pricing we want to offer more choices and let everyone in the UK enjoy a connected simple life through our innovative technology.

The phone features a 6.21-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with screen resolution of 2248 x 1080 pixels. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 octa-core processor clocked at 2.8GHz, along with Adreno 630 GPU.

It packs 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage but there’s no microSD card slot for expanding storage. The phone comes with a pressure-sensitive in-display fingerprint sensor for added security.

Coming to the camera department, the device features a dual camera setup on the back, consisting of two 12-megapixel sensors with Optical Image Stabilizer and optical zoom. On the front side, the device comes equipped with a 20-megapixel f/2.0 camera sensor housed inside the display notch.

The handset supports Dual SIM, 4G, Wi-Fi, dual-band GPS, dual–SIM support, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, USB OTG, and USB Type-C as connectivity options. It runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s MIUI 10 interface. The phone is fuelled by a 3,000mAh battery with support for fast charging technology.

Read More: Xiaomi’s Pocophone F1 budget flagship phone is now available for purchase in the UK through Amazon

Along with the Mi 8 Pro, the Chinese company has launched a few other products in the UK, which includes Mi 8, Redmi 6A entry-level smartphone, Mi Band 3 fitness tracker, and the Mi electric scooter. The Redmi 6A is priced at £99 (approx. $130), the Mi Band 3 costs £27 (approximately $35), and the Mi electric scooter is priced at £399, roughly $523.

The post Xiaomi marks its UK debut with the launch of Mi 8 Pro for £499 ($654) 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 has recently introduced the Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 with new slider design and quad cameras in China. Soon after its launch, rumors about Xiaomi 2019 flagship phone have surfaced today. Citing information coming from supply chain, GizChina has reported that the Xiaomi Mi 9 will be the first phone to arrive with Snapdragon 8150 chipset. The new leak has shared some key information on the smartphone.

The publication has claimed that the Xiaomi Mi 9 arriving in the first half of 2019 could be the first Snapdragon 8150 chipset (previously known as Snapdragon 855) powered smartphone. Like the Mi 8, the Mi 9 is expected to launch first in China.

The publication has claimed that the Mi 9 flagship smartphone would be equipped with triple rear cameras with 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 as primary sensor. The regular variants of the phone may come with 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM. Its highest variant may include 10 GB of RAM. The handset is expected to feature an under-display fingerprint scanner which suggest that it could be arriving with AMOLED display.

Last year, Xiaomi had launched the Mi MIX 2 smartphone with Snapdragon 835 SoC. In March 2019, the Chinese manufacturer had released the Mi MIX 2S phone that resembled the Mi MIX 2 in terms of design and specs but came with the newer Snapdragon 845.

Xiaomi may use the same strategy next year. During the launch event of Mi MIX 3, the company confirmed that the 5G version of the phone will be announced in Q1 2019. Hence, the Mi MIX 3 5G version arriving next year is likely to retain the same design as the Mi MIX 3. Probably, the Mi MIX 3 5G could be the company’s first phone with Snapdragon 8150 SoC.

• Read More: Buy Xiaomi Mi 8 Smartphone For Just $399.99 On GeekBuying

The Xiaomi Mi 8 was unveiled as the 8^th anniversary smartphone in May this year. It is likely that the Mi 9 may arrive to succeed in May 2019. In other words, it may launch a month or two after the Mi MIX 3 5G version. There is a possibility that Galaxy S10, ZenFone 5Z’s successor or Sony Xperia XZ4 that are expected to get announced at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) tech expo in February 2019 could end up as the first Snapdragon 8150 powered smartphone.

The referred via article has not clearly shared information on the source. Hence, it is advisable to digest the report with a pinch of salt.

(via)

The post Xiaomi Mi 9 could be first Snapdragon 8150 fueled phone, claims report appeared first on Gizmochina.

Yesterday, Xiaomi announced its highly anticipated Mi Mix 3 with a slider design and an excellent camera module. Xiaomi has emphasised quite a lot on its camera which has allowed it to score 103 points at DxOmark ratings. It has surpassed the scores of iPhone X, P20 and remains equal with the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and HTC U 12+. Such a great improvement has been made by just tweaking the camera modules for better performance.

Xiaomi’s co-founder, Lei Jun revealed that Mi Mix 3 camera module is the same as that of Mi 8 and Mi Mix 2S, only software optimizations have allowed it to perform better than its predecessors. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 carries a combination of 12-megapixel dual cameras including a CMOS Sony IMX 363 and Samsung S5K3M3+ camera module, as even Xiaomi 8 and Mi Mix 2S carries the same. In this regard, Lei Jun has conveyed to Xiaomi research & development teams to provide an update to both the Mi Mix 3 and Mi 8 to optimize their camera modules.

Currently, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S has attained 97 points while Mi 8 is standing with 99 points at DxOmark. We hope with the software upgrade these will undoubtedly improve.

Xiaomi has witnessed huge success after they built a dedicated department for developing and researching on mobile camera units. The main aim of the department is to improve the photo quality and integrate the AI in the camera modules. Well, Xiaomi’s change in development tactics has allowed the Chinese electronics maker to see exceptional changes. Now, they are moving towards quality camera performance rather than just adding more and more pixels into it.

• Read More: The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 Smartphone Goes Up For Pre-Order On Giztop; See Specs And Other Details

Additionally, Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 carries 6.3-inch Full HD+ display with a rear placed fingerprint sensor. It is available in four different variants of RAM and internal storage. In-camera department, Xiaomi has added a dual rear camera shooter of 12 megapixels with different aperture levels. On the front, Mi Mix 3 carriers dual shooter of 24 megapixels and 2 megapixels sensor for beautiful selfies and quality video calling.

(Source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 and Mi Mix 2S to get camera upgrades, taking performance closer to Mix 3 appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Lenovo S5 Pro launches in a few days and Lenovo is counting down to the day by releasing one teaser poster each day. The teaser posters for yesterday and today reveals details of the cameras as well as the color variants the phone will come in.

The teasers were shared on Weibo by the company’s CEO and they also take a swipe at Xiaomi’s Mi 8 series. For example, yesterday’s teaser takes on the Mi 8 and brags that the S5 Pro’s 20MP sensor which forms one of the two AI dual front-facing camera is better than that of Xiaomi’s flagship.

The secondary 8MP sensor is not shown in the image but we can tell that the S5 Pro in the poster has a Rose Gold finish. This is actually not one of the colors listed by TENAA.

On the other hand, the teaser poster released today takes on the Mi 8 SE. Lenovo boasts the S5 Pro’s f/1.8 sensor is superior to that of the Mi 8 SE. The primary camera on the rear of the Mi 8 SE is a 12MP f/1.9 sensor while the secondary camera is a 5MP f/2.0 sensor. TENAA says the Lenovo S5 Pro has a 20MP + 12MP dual rear camera combo and the teaser above says one of the sensors has a f/1.8 aperture. On paper, the Lenovo is superior but it remains to be seen if it can beat the Mi 8 SE in a shootout.

The poster also reveals some other details. We can see one of the sensors has a 5P lens while the other has a 6P lens. It also confirms the phone has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and will come in blue. This color is also not among the ones listed by TENAA.

READ MORE: Lenovo announces rollout of ZUI 4.0 update for its ZUK smartphones

The Lenovo S5 Pro launches on October 18. It will have a 6.18-inch 2246 x 1080 display, a Snapdragon 660 processor, up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It will also have a 3500mAh battery and run Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box.

(Sources: 1, 2)

The post Latest Lenovo S5 Pro teasers reveal camera specs and color variants appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi‘s flagships for this year comprise of the Mix 2s and the Mi 8 models. The Mi 8 was released in May this year and went on sale in China in June. Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun has now revealed that the company has sold over 6 million units of the Mi 8 since the models went on sale. Lei Jun also announced a 200 yuan ($28) price cut for the Mi 8 standard version in China to celebrate the milestone. This brings down the price to 2,499 yuan ($360).

The estimated figure covers all the different models that make up the Mi 8 family which include the Mi 8, Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 Lite and Mi 8 SE. The Mi 8 Pro and Mi 8 Lite were only launched last month but are already on sale in China.

Read Also: Buy Xiaomi Mi 8 Smartphone For Just $389 On Giztop

The disclosure doesn’t really come as a surprise due to the popularity of the Mi 8 among fans. Xiaomi did not just restrict the models to the flagship category but also included super mid-rangers like the Mi 8 SE with a Snapdragon 710 premium midrange SoC. The Mi 8 Lite also falls into this class.

(source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 sales have been massive! Over 6 million units sold so far appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi today announced that it’s flagship smartphone series — Xiaomi Mi 8 series, has crossed the sales mark of 6 million units. The devices in the Mi 8 series include Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi 8 SE, and the recently launched Mi 8 Lite.

Along with that, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has also announced that it’s slashing the prices of all four models of the Mi 8 flagship phone by 200 Yuan, which roughly converts to $29.

With the new price cut, the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage model of the Mi 8 will cost 2,499 Yuan while the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage model will be available for 2,799 Yuan. The 6GB RAM with 256GB storage model and the 8GB RAM with 128GB storage model costs 3,099 Yuan.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 features 6.21-inch notched AMOLED screen that supports 18.7:9 aspect ratio and Full HD+ resolution. The notch of the phone features a 20-megapixel selfie camera and necessary components for infrared-backed face unlock feature.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s flagship Snapdragon 845 octa-core processor, coupled with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. There are three internal storage options to choose from — 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. For photography, the phone comes equipped with two 12-megapixel rear camera sensors.

• Read More: Xiaomi Mi Band 3 heart rate sensor’s credibility in the spotlight, gets a reading for tissue paper (UPDATED: Proof)

It is the first phone to come with dual-band GPS technology for accurate location tracking. It features a rear-mounted fingerprint reader for added security. It runs on Android Oreo operating system-based MIUI custom interface. The handset is packed with a 3,400mAh battery that supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4+ fast charging technology.

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 gets 200 yuan ($29) price cut in China 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.

Xiaomi has announced that the flagship Mi 8 white version which features an 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage will go on sale today at 8 pm China time. Indeed, the high-end variant is presently available on Mi.com for buyers in China. The new colour variant joins the black and blue variant that were hitherto available. The colour variant is available for 3299 yuan (~$480) which is also the same as that of China.

Apart from the gentle White coloured rear panel, the rest of the specs are the same. To recall, the Mi 8 features a 6.21-inch FHD+ display with a notch at the top that houses an IR face scanner, a 20MP selfie camera, and the usual sensors. The device also comes with a glass body and is powered by a Snapdragon 845 processor. It gets its juice from a 3,400mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4.0. On the rear of the Mi 8 are two 12MP sensors with OIS and optical zoom. There is also a fingerprint scanner on the back.

Related: Meizu 16 vs Xiaomi Mi 8: Specs Comparison

The Mi 8 is the first smartphone in the world with dual-frequency GPS which location accuracy up to a decimeter-level. There is NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, and a USB-C port but just like its predecessor, the Mi 6, it doesn’t feature a 3.5mm audio jack. The White variant isn’t likely to go out of stock soon and we expect Xiaomi to make it available outside China. You can check out the store listing from the source link below.

(source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 White color model with 8GB+128GB memory goes on sale appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Mi 8 series already has three members – the Snapdragon 710-powered Mi 8 SE and the Snapdragon 845-powered Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition. New reports have revealed Xiaomi may be adding two more members. According to Mysmartprice, the two new Mi 8 variants are the Mi 8 Youth and the Mi 8 Screen Fingerprint Edition. Think of the latter as a sort of Mi 8 UD.

Apart from the names of the two new models, the color variants and memory configuration for both phones have also surfaced. The Mi 8 Youth will come in three variants and three memory configurations while the Mi 8 Screen Fingerprint Edition will have two color variants and two memory configurations.

The Mi 8 Youth Edition will launch in 4GB + 64GB, 6GB + 64GB, and 6GB + 128GB variants. Available color variants are Space Gray, Gold, and Blue. The Mi 8 with an in-display fingerprint sensor will be available in 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 128GB while available color variants are listed as black and gold.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Redmi 6A, Redmi 6, Redmi 6 Pro launched in India, prices start at Rs. 5,999

Chinese leaker @Ice Universe believes the Mi 8 Youth Edition may be the ¥1999 (~$292/€252) phone scheduled to launch in mid-September. However, the rumored processor is more of upper mid-range (Snapdragon 670/Snapdragon 710) than high-end.

(Source)

The post Mi 8 Youth Edition may be the upcoming ¥1999 phone from Xiaomi appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi is adding a new SOS feature to closed beta version of the MIUI 10 developer ROM. This feature allows users to contact a pre-defined number in case of emergency. The feature is currently available to five Xiaomi devices. In the near future, the feature will be also brought to other devices.

The SOS feature that has been added to developer ROM can be accessed by pressing the power button 5 times and then it will send the help information to the emergency contact number. As it can be seen in the image below, users can activate the feature by going to Settings > SOS > Emergency Help. As of this writing, the feature is available to devices such as Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi MIX 2, Mi 6, Mi 5 and Redmi Note 4X

By releasing the SOS feature through closed beta Xiaomi could be testing the feature on the first five devices in China. It will be soon adding the function to the developer ROM for all the Chinese models by the end of September.

Read More: Xiaomi brings MIUI-Inspired Poco Launcher on Play Store for all Android devices

In related news, Xiaomi is now busy with rollout process of stable edition of MIUI 10 to its various devices. Currently, the MIUI 10 stable version is available to devices like Xiaomi 6, Mi 8, Mi 8 SE, Mi MIX 2, Redmi Note 5, Mi Note 3 and Mi 5. The other Xiaomi devices that are awaiting in the pipeline to receive the update are: Mi 5s Plus, Mi 5s, Mi 4, Mi 3, Mi Note 2, Mi MIX 2, MIX, Mi Max 3, Mi Max 2, Mi Max, Mi 6X, Mi 5X, Redmi Note 5 (India), Redmi Note 5A, Redmi Note 5A Prime, Redmi Note 4, Redmi Note 4X, Redmi Note 4 (TW) and Redmi Note 3, Redmi 6 Pro, Redmi 6, Redmi 6A, Redmi 5 Plus, Redmi 5, Redmi 5A, Redmi 4, Redmi 4A, Redmi 3S, Redmi Y2, Redmi Y1 Lite, Redmi Y1 and Mi Pad 4.

(source)

The post Xiaomi adds SOS feature to MIUI 10 developer ROM for five devices, more to follow appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 is the only tablet with a Snapdragon 660 processor. It is also the cheapest device powered by a Snapdragon 660 as it has a starting price of just ¥1099 (~$160). Xiaomi has announced a price cut for the Mi 6X which is also powered by the same chipset. All though it isn’t as cheap as the Mi Pad 4, it makes it one of the cheapest Snapdragon 660 phones on the market.

The 4GB RAM + 32GB variant of the Mi 6X is now priced at ¥1199 (~$175), ¥300 (~$43) down from its original price. However, the price cut is limited to the Cherry Powder and Champagne Gold variants, though the latter color variant isn’t in stock at the moment.

Xiaomi is also selling the Mi 8 (6GB RAM + 64GB) and Mi 8 SE (6GB RAM + 64GB) for ¥100 less bringing their prices to ¥2599 (~$380) and ¥1899 (~$278) respectively. The price reduction is for today only, so you may want to hurry and grab a unit.

READ MORE: Xiaomi’s new Mi Wireless Charger with 10W fast charging support costs 69 Yuan ($10)

All three phones can be purchased on the official Mi online store.

(Sources: 1, 2, 3)

The post Xiaomi Mi 6X gets price cut, might be the cheapest SD660 phone; Mi 8 and Mi 8 SE slashed too appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi is prepping up to launch Poco F1 tomorrow. The handset will be arriving as the first phone in the newly announced Pocophone series. Reports have claimed that India will be receiving the Poco F1 smartphone instead of the Xiaomi Mi 8 that was made official in China at the end of May. However, according to a latest report by 91 Mobiles, India will be also receiving Mi 8 soon after the launch of Poco F1. The publication has also claimed the Indian arrival of the Mi 8 has been confirmed by three separate retailers in India.

The publication has further stated that the Indian launch date of Mi 8 is not known yet. It is likely to be priced under Rs. 30,000. In China, Xiaomi had launched the Mi 8 with in multiple variants featuring up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of native storage. There is no confirmation on whether all the variants of the Mi 8 will be arriving in India.

Recent rumors have claimed that the 128 GB variant of the Poco F1 could be priced at Rs. 25,000. There is a possibility that the Mi 8 could be aimed towards the offline markets whereas the upcoming Poco F1 could be only available online.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 and Poco F1 have similar specs and design. The Poco F1 has a dual camera unit followed by a fingerprint on the top-half of its rear shell. Since it is arriving as an affordable flagship, it features a polycarbonate rear. On the other side, the Mi 8 is blessed with a premium appeal as it features a glass rear with an iPhone X-like vertical dual camera on its top left. It also features a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. The Poco F1 has an LCD screen with a wide notch whereas the Mi 8 has an AMOLED display with similar sized notch.

Read More: Alleged Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 photos reveal design changes

The Poco F1 features 5.99-inch IPS LCD notched display, Snapdragon 845 with liquid cooling, 6 GB  / 8 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of storage, microSD card slot, IR-based facial recognition, 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera, 20-megapixel, 4,000mAh battery and 3.5mm audio jack.

On the other side, the Mi 8 features a 6.28-inch S-AMOLED display, Snapdragon 845 SoC, up to 8 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of storage, dual 12-megapixel rear cameras, 20-megapixel front-facing camera and 3,400mAh battery. It lacks microSD card slot and 3.5mm audio jack.

(source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Indian launch could be nearing appeared first on Gizmochina.

A few months ago, Xiaomi launched Mi 8, its flagship smartphone, for a starting price of 2,699 Yuan (approximately $393). Now, the company has announced a price cut of 100 Yuan on the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage variant of the Mi 8, making it the cheapest Snapdragon 845-powered smartphone in China.

With the discounted price of the Mi 8, the Meizu 16 now faces a tough competition. Further, the price cut comes at a time when the Meizu 16 is out-of-stock. The Meizu 16, the company’s flagship phone of the year, starts at 2,698, which roughly converts to $392.

Currently, Xiaomi Mi 8 6GB RAM and 64GB storage model is available on the company’s official online store in three color options. While the 64GB storage variant received a price cut, the 256GB storage model comes with Mi Band 2 fitness tracker.

Coming to the specs, the Mi 8 comes with a 6.21-inch Full HD+ display with a notch at the top that houses an IR face scanner, a 20MP selfie camera, and the usual sensors. Under the hood, it is powered by a Snapdragon 845 processor.

For photography, it features two camera sensors on the back, both being a 12MP sensors with support for optical image stabilization and optical zoom. There’s also a fingerprint scanner on the back panel. Running on Android Oreo-based MIUI 10, the device is powered by a 3,400mAh battery.

On the other hand, the Meizu 16, launched earlier this month, has a 6-inch Full HD+ display with 2160 x 1080 pixels screen resolution. It is powered by Snapdragon 845 SoC and comes in three variants — 4GB RAM, 6GB RAM, and 8GB RAM.

Read More: Xiaomi’s POCO F1 to be Flipkart exclusive in India, launching on August 22

It features a dual-camera setup on the back, with a 12MP primary sensor and a 20MP secondary sensor. On the front side, it has a 20MP snapper with f/2.0 aperture. This one too runs on Android Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with Flyme OS and is powered by a 3,010mAh battery.

(Source)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 6GB + 64GB model gets 100 yuan price cut in China, now costs 2,599 Yuan ($378) appeared first on Gizmochina.

Last week, it was reported that the Mi 8 would get a new variant which will have 8GB of RAM. That new variant has been unveiled by Xiaomi today.

The Mi 8 originally launched with 6GB of RAM with various storage configurations that maxed out at 256GB. Now, there is a new 8GB RAM model but it comes with 128GB of storage. What’s more is that Xiaomi has slapped the same ¥3299 (~$479) price tag of the 6GB RAM + 256GB ROM model on this new one too.

Apart from the larger memory, the rest of the specs are the same. The phone has a 6.21-inch FHD+ display with a notch at the top that houses an IR face scanner, a 20MP selfie camera, and the usual sensors.

There is a Snapdragon 845 processor under the glass body along with a 3,400mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4.0. On the rear of the Mi 8 are two 12MP sensors with OIS and optical zoom. There is also a fingerprint scanner on the back.

The Mi 8 is the first smartphone in the world with dual-frequency GPS which location accuracy up to a decimeter-level. There is NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, and a USB-C port but just like its predecessor, the Mi 6, it also skips the 3.5mm audio jack.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Mi Bluetooth Sports Headphone Youth Edition on sale now

The 8GB RAM Mi 8 comes in only blue and black color variants. It will be sold on JD.com and on Mi.com and it will go on sale at 10 AM (Chinese local time) today.

(Via)

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage launches for ¥3299 (~$479) appeared first on Gizmochina.

Is your phone on the list of YouTube Signature Devices? You should read on to find out.

YouTube has released a list of devices that are best for watching videos on its platform. The list is pretty short but includes the popular flagships from this year and the last.

Below is the list of YouTube’s signature devices:

1. Samsung Galaxy Note9
2. Samsung Galaxy S9
3. Samsung Galaxy S9+
4. Samsung Galaxy Note8
5. Samsung Galaxy S8
6. Samsung Galaxy S8+
7. OnePlus 6
8. Xiaomi Mi 8
9. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
10. Sony Xperia XZ2
11. Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
12. Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact
13. Huawei Mate 10 Pro
14. Google Pixel 2
15. Google Pixel 2 XL
16. Nokia 8 Sirocco
17. LG V30
18. HTC U12+

The above devices are said to support the following technologies – HDR, 360° video, 4K decoding, high frame rate, digital rights management performance and next-gen codecs like VP9.

READ MORE: Reports about Google’s return to China not true says China Securities Daily

So if your flagship phone isn’t on the list, it probably doesn’t have support for one or more of the above. This explains why there is no iOS device on the list. There also isn’t a tablet on the list.

(Source, Via)

The post Is your phone a YouTube Signature Device? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi recently launched its flagship smartphone of the year — Xiaomi Mi 8. The device packs up to 6GB RAM but now the company is all set to launch a new variant of the Mi 8 that comes with 8GB RAM.

The company has released a poster of Mi 8 on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo which hints at the 8GB RAM model of the Mi 8 flagship phone from Xiaomi. While the Mi 8 doesn’t have 8GB RAM model yet, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition packs 8GB RAM.

The Xiaomi Mi 8, which is the successor of the Mi 6, comes with a 6.21-inch Full HD+ display with 2248 x 1080 pixels screen resolution and a notch on top of the display. The AMOLED display is equipped with features like support for DCI-P3 color gamut, 60000:1 contrast ratio, up to 600nits brightness, HDR support, Eye protection mode, and Always-On Display.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 octa-core processor, running at a maximum frequency of 2.8GHz. It packs up to 6GB RAM and up to 256GB internal storage. The handset receives power from 3,400mAh battery enabled with Quick Charge 4+ fast charging. The phone also comes pre-installed with Android 8.1 Oreo with the company’s own custom MIUI 10 on top.

For photography, the Xiaomi Mi 8 features a wide-angle Sony IMX363 12-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.8 aperture and 1.4micron pixel size and a secondary 12-megapixel S5K3M3 sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 1micron pixel size. The dual cameras offer features like 4-axis optical image stabilization, optical zoom, and dual pixel autofocus.

The notch present at the top of the display comprises a 20-megapixel front-facing camera, proximity sensor, earpiece, infrared lighting and infrared lens. The advanced facial recognition feature has been dubbed as Infrared Face Unlock. The phone also features a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for added security.

Connectivity options on the device include dual-SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac NFC, Bluetooth 5.0 and 3.5mm audio jack. It is also the world’s first smartphone to come with dual-frequency GPS.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S Android 9 Pie beta update now rolling out; More Xiaomi phones to receive soon

The current top-end edition of the Mi 8, which packs 6GB RAM and 256GB onboard storage, is priced at 3,299 Yuan which roughly converts to $515. To know the official pricing of the 8GB RAM variant, we’ll have to wait for the official announcement.

The post Xiaomi to soon launch 8GB RAM variant of its flagship smartphone Mi 8 appeared first on Gizmochina.