Back in 2019, Xiaomi had announced the Mi MIX Alpha. The device in question is a concept smartphone, which meant that it arrived with new and experimental designs and features and would not be sold commercially. However, a new patent has just surfaced that looks like another version of the same device, meaning it could be a variant made specifically for mass production.

One of the most notable feature of the Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha was its flexible OLED panel. This was unique due to the fact that the display covered a majority of the smartphone’s body. In other words, it wrapped around the front and back of the device, offering a 180.6 percent screen to body ratio (a never before achieve ratio). Now, a new patent has surfaced that details a Xiaomi smartphone that also has a curved display, although not as bold as the last and still leaves more area for the rear panel to be placed.

This will not only allow for better durability but also prevent unnecessary scratches while laying the smartphone flat on its back. As per the images that accompany the patent, the supposed commercial variant of the Mi MIX Alpha features a similar curved display, but the rear panel is more prominent than before and will be made of plain glass. Furthermore, the Xiaomi patent also reveals a dual camera setup on the rear alongside an LED flash.

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Xiaomi probably made the shift to a more practical design as the protection of a full display smartphone is still questionable by the technology standards of today. Smartphones like Mi MIX Alpha follow futuristic designs and aesthetics but are not suitable for everyday use. Thus, the move seems plausible as this will allow the product to be more commercially viable as well.

The Mi MIX Alpha was announced back in September 2019 and has yet to go on sale. Xiaomi did plan on selling a limited number of units but that has not been realized to date. Notably, a senior executive had stated that the company is capable of mass producing the device, but its affordability and viability was questionable. Unfortunately, it is still unclear if such a patented smartphone will actually be made, and we will have to wait for some form of official announcement to make any confirmations.

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The smartphone industry saw some very notable innovations in the year 2019. 5G advancements saw the inclusion of the newer and faster bandwidth while foldable handsets became a reality. Now, Xiaomi is reportedly making a smartphone with a display that almost completely covers the smartphone body, according to patents.

Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha is a concept smartphone with a similar design to the patents that were recently uncovered. However, a few points can be discerned while looking at the patents. Unlike the Mi Mix Alpha, the patented device has yet to be produced and is still unconfirmed or at conceptual stages at best.

The Mi Mix Alpha was the first smartphone to have a surround display that covered most of the handset’s body. Hence, the newer device could follow the same philosophy but could be made for mass-producing; since the Mi Mix Alpha will only be offered in limited numbers since it is a concept smartphone.

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Looking at the design patents, the handset is visually distinct from the Mi Mix Alpha but also has the display cover the front panel and most of the rear panel. The patented device also carries a form factor that resembles that of a book. To further differentiate the device from the already existing Mi Mix Alpha, different materials could be used to manufacture it.

Earlier builds of the Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha had plastic materials for its display. Since then, the Chinese tech giant has confirmed that future iterations will arrive with flexible glass display technology. But as it stands right now, the design of the unique screen of the smartphone still needs work and improvements to be made on viability, strength and more.

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It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Xiaomi are currently one of the most important smartphone companies around. They have an extremely strong lineup of devices, from budget devices, to mid-rangers, to top-of-the-line flagships. The current crown jewel of the company is the Mi MIX Alpha, a stunning device, but instead we’re going to discuss a possible Mi MIX Alpha 2 based on these recently released leaks.

LetsGoDigital has discovered that Xiaomi has filed a series of patents with the Chinese patent office for a smartphone that consists entirely of a full screen surface, with no camera bar to speak of and even narrower screen edges.

According to LetsGoDigital, Xiaomi filed this series of design patents for a smartphone that consists entirely of screen surface about a year ago. It took until December 13, 2019 before these patents were approved and published in the WIPO Design database for worldwide protection of this design.

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While we did bring up the Mi MIX Alpha, this user interface is for a smartphone with a full surround display AND under-screen cameras on both the front and rear side of the device. This phone has ultra thin bezels at the top and bottom as well as no physical buttons.
All graphical user interface pictures presented in this publication are from Xiaomi.

The screen itself does not run through the bottom or top, seeing how the bottom offers space for the device’s stereo speakers and a USB Type-C port. The microphone is placed on top, along with nothing else. Outside of these details, the patent mainly focuses on the details of the GUI design, and all the screenshots are in full colour which indicates that Xiaomi may already have the device in the works.

The description shows that the screen icons on the side of the device will change based on the content / application shown on the main screen. For example, general status icons such as the battery indicator and network signal strength can be displayed on the right-hand side, while the left side offers space for displaying time, weather, etc.

In addition, a simple swipe movement will make it possible to add icons to the sides yourself for things like cameras and music controls. This way you can customize the phone and its functions to suit your needs. On the right side of the smartphone, a virtual button is also provided that functions as a system shortcut and as the power button.

While the Mi MIX Alpha is certainly a stunning display of Xiaomi’s engineering capabilities, it’s also very similar to the first Mi MIX in that it’s an expensive concept device that’s meant to show off something extremely new and fresh. Now that it’s out of the way, it may open the doors toward a camera bar-less Mi MIX Alpha 2, which is where this UI might apply.

Whatever the case is with these patents, it certainly leaves us quite excited for Xiaomi‘s future prospects. We’re looking forward to seeing what the Chinese giants can conjure up, and if they’re anywhere near as interesting as the Mi MIX Alpha, then we’re absolutely on board.

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