Xiaomi Mi 8, MIUI 10, Mi Band 3 launch Highlights: Mi 8 gets notch display, there’s a Mi 8 Explorer edition as well with a transparent back. Xiaomi Mi 8, MIUI 10, Mi Band 3 launch Highlights: Mi 8 gets notch display, there’s a Mi 8 Explorer edition as well with a transparent back. Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi Band 3, Mi 8 SE, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, MIUI 10, a new Mi TV 4 in 75-inches and a Mi VR headset were announced at the company’s annual product launch event in Shenzhen, China today. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun hosted the keynote, which kicked off at 2 PM local time (11:30 AM IST). The company had a livestream for the event on its China website as well. The highlight of Xiaomi’s event is the Mi 8 flagship smartphone, which has been announced in three different editions. Mi 8 is the anniversary special smartphone from the company. The Mi 8 has a notch style display with advanced facial recognition system like Apple iPhone X. Also Read: Xiaomi Mi 8 sports a notch, Snapdragon 845: Here are all your questions answered There’s also a Mi 8 Explorer edition, which is more expensive and features a 3D facial recognition system and a completely transparent back. Xiaomi has also introduced an in-display fingerprint scanner on the Mi 8 Explorer edition. The regular Mi 8 has a fingerprint scanner at the back of the phone. Also Read: Xiaomi Mi 8 with iPhone X-like ‘notch’ display, Snapdragon 845 SoC launched: Specifications, features Mi 8 has an aspect ratio of 18.7: 9, and the same display style is followed on the Mi 8 Explorer Edition and the Mi 8 SE. The SE variant runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor and comes with a 12MP+5MP rear camera. The bigger Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition both have a 12MP+12MP camera setup on the back. All three phones have a 20MP front camera. Also read: Xiaomi Mi 8 ‘Explorer Edition’ with in-display fingerprint scanner; Mi 8 SE launched MIUI 10, which is the company’s latest custom UI, has also been introduced with a revamped task manager, boost in performance as well as gesture controls. MIUI 10 also comes with AI-based features and support for Bokeh photos on dual and single sensor cameras. Read more: Xiaomi Mi Band 3 with 0.78-inch OLED display, water resistance launched Meanwhile, Mi Band 3 now comes with 5ATM water resistance, a bigger 0.78-inches display and a 110 mAh battery. Xiaomi has also revealed a standalone Mi VR headset in partnership with Oculus and powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor. Mi TV 4 in 75-inches has a 4K HDR display coupled with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage. Read on for live updates and details from the event.<doc-sep>Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer and Mi 8 SE made their debut in China yesterday. Here is a comparison of all three smartphones. Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer and Mi 8 SE made their debut in China yesterday. Here is a comparison of all three smartphones. Xiaomi unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Mi 8 at its annual product launch in Shenzhen, China on May 31. The Chinese technology company also introduced the Mi 8 Explorer Edition and Mi 8 SE smartphones; the latter is a smaller and more budget-friendly variant of the Mi 8. Xiaomi Mi 8 is the first smartphone from the company to feature a notch-style display. While the Mi 8 Explorer edition comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor, Xiaomi also touts this as the first Android phone in the world to use 3D face recognition technology. Meanwhile, the smaller Mi 8 SE is the first phone in the industry to carry Qualcomm’s brand-new Snapdragon 710 platform designed for mid-ranging smartphones. Let us take a look at how the latest Mi 8 phones compare with each other in terms of price and specifications. Xiaomi Mi 8 vs Mi 8 Explorer Edition vs Mi 8 SE: Design and display Mi 8 features a four-way curved glass back panel with aluminium chassis. At the front, it flaunts a near-bezel less display with a notch to house the front camera and other Infrared sensors. The Mi 8 Explorer and the Mi 8 SE carry similar design as the standard Mi 8 version. However, the Explorer edition has a see-through (transparent) glass panel that makes the phone’s appearance standout compared to the other two variants. The Xiaomi Mi 8 features a 6.2-inch full HD+AMOLED display with a resolution of 2248 x 1080 pixels The Xiaomi Mi 8 features a 6.2-inch full HD+AMOLED display with a resolution of 2248 x 1080 pixels Coming to the display, all the three Mi 8 smartphones sport AMOLED displays from Samsung. Both the Mi 8 and the Mi 8 Explorer edition feature a tall 6.2-inch full HD+ display with a resolution of 2248 x 1080 pixels. Mi 8 has an aspect ratio of 18.7:9 and a screen-to-body ratio of 88.5 per cent. Mi 8 Explorer Edition has a screen-to-body ratio of 83.8 per cent. In contrast, the Mi 8 SE comes with a slightly smaller 5.88-inch display with similar pixel resolution like the Mi 8. The screen-to-body ratio is 81.3 per cent. Also Read: Mi 8 Explorer edition transparent back controversy: Xiaomi says parts are of actual mainboard Xiaomi Mi 8 vs Mi 8 Explorer Edition vs Mi 8 SE: Camera In terms of optics, both the Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer edition carry vertically stacked dual-rear camera modules combining 12MP sensors each. The camera on the Mi 8 and its Explorer Edition comes with dual-LED flash support and include 2x optical zoom, 4-axis OIS, dual-pixel autofocus, AI portraits and AI scene detection. The camera pair comprises of a 12MP primary wide-angle lens with f/1.8 aperture and OIS, while the secondary telephoto lens has f/2.4 aperture. The AI scene detection on the smartphones are capable of tweaking contrast, white balance, and other camera settings depending on the environment and lighting. The AI Portrait mode is meant to add depth of field effect to the images. The Xiaomi Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition sports 12MP dual cameras with dual-LED flash support and include 2x optical zoom, 4-axis OIS, dual-pixel autofocus, AI portraits The Xiaomi Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition sports 12MP dual cameras with dual-LED flash support and include 2x optical zoom, 4-axis OIS, dual-pixel autofocus, AI portraits Mi 8 SE also flaunts a dual-AI camera on the back, but it packs a 12MP sensor and a 5MP secondary sensor, instead of the two 12MP units found on the higher-end variants. It comes with f/1.9 aperture and includes portrait mode, HDR mode, panorama mode and facial recognition. It offers AI-driven features like business card recognition, intelligent translation, etc which are present on the Mi 8 and its Explorer edition as well. Also Read- Xiaomi Mi 8 sports a notch, Snapdragon 845: Here are all your questions answered As for the front-facing camera, all three smartphones in the Mi 8 lineup sport a 20MP sensor. The front camera features options like AI background bokeh, beautification mode, 3D beauty, etc. The big difference is that the Mi 8’s front camera also gets the support of an Infrared sensor to boost the facial recognition, which Xiaomi claims will work in the dark and cannot be fooled by photos. Coming to the Mi 8 Explorer Edition, this one gets 3D facial recognition with the help of a Dot Projector, Illuminator, etc to support the feature. Xiaomi Mi 8 vs Mi 8 Explorer Edition vs Mi 8 SE: Processor, battery and memory Mi 8 and Mi Explorer Edition are powered by Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor, which is the Snapdragon 845. The CPU is paired with Adreno 630 GPU. The budget Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is powered by the newly announced Snapdragon 710 mobile platform. The new processor is said to deliver a 30 per cent battery consumption improvement compared to Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC. The octa-core chipset is paired with Adreno 616 GPU. In terms of RAM and storage, Mi 8 carries 6GB RAM paired with three storage configuration- 64GB, 128GB and 256GB inbuilt storage. The Explorer Edition has 8GB RAM paired with 128GB inbuilt storage. Meanwhile, Mi 8 SE has two RAM/storage options, which are 4GB RAM+64GB storage and 6GB RAM+64GB storage. As for the battery, the flagship Mi 8 packs a 3,400mAh battery underneath its glass back panel. The Mi 8 Explorer Edition, carries a slightly smaller 3,000mAh battery. Finally, Mi 8 SE has a battery backup 3,120mAh. Also Read: Xiaomi Mi 8: Five smartphones that can give it a tough competition in India Xiaomi Mi 8 vs Mi 8 Explorer Edition vs Mi 8 SE: Software and other features On the software front, the new Xiaomi Mi 8 series run Android Oreo layered on the company’s newly released custom ROM, MIUI 10. The new MIUI skin is said to bring a host of improvements, including AI-driven features. All the three Mi 8 smartphones run MIUI 10 based Android Oreo OS All the three Mi 8 smartphones run MIUI 10 based Android Oreo OS But while the Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer Edition and Mi 8 SE embrace the latest MIUI 10 custom ROM based on Android Oreo, each phone also comes with some unique features that differentiate them from one another. For starters, Xiaomi Mi 8 supports dual frequency GPS navigation for accurate location tracking. On the other hand, Mi 8 Explorer Edition features 3D face unlock similar to iPhone X’s Face ID. The phone has an in-display fingerprint sensor as well, but it is the industry first to come with pressure sensitivity. Xiaomi Mi 8 vs Mi 8 Explorer Edition vs Mi 8 SE: Price and availability Xiaomi Mi 8 has a price starting at Yuan 2,699 (around Rs 28,000) for the 6GB RAM/64GB variant. The 6GB/128GB model carries a price of Yuan 2,999 (Rs 31,000), while the 6GB/256GB model will retail for Yuan 3,299 (around Rs 34,000). Mi 8 SE is priced at Yuan 1,799 (nearly Rs 18,900) for the 4GB RAM/64GB storage version and Yuan 1,999 (nearly Rs 21,100) for the 6GB RAM/64GB storage model. Both the Mi 8 and Mi 8 SE will be available for purchase in China starting on June 5 and June 8 respectively. The higher variant, Mi 8 Explorer Edition will come at a cost of Yuan 3,699 (around Rs 38,500) and it will be available at a later date. Xiaomi has not shared any detail regarding the availability of smartphone in global markets including India.<doc-sep>[Update]: Upon further inquiry, sources claim that such a launch in India for just two devices next month is unlikely. The naming convention of the Mi 8 SE to be rebranded as Mi 8i has not been confirmed either, even though the product URL does use the latter. We would suggest you to take this report with a grain of salt. Rest assured, we will keep you informed as soon as we obtain something concrete regarding Xiaomi sales in India. Xiaomi is planning to release its new Mi 8 SE in India with a slight change to its name. It will now be called the Mi 8i where the “i” is meant to signify India. Xiaomi’s official link to the product page also refers to the smartphone as Mi 8i instead. The phone will launch in India next month alongside the Mi Band 3. The wearable is a decent upgrade over its predecessor, and we are excited to try it out as soon as we can get our hands on it. Mi 8i, Mi Band 3: Expected Price in India The Mi 8 SE launched in China with a starting price of 1,799 yuan which roughly equates to Rs. 18,970. We are expecting this device to release in India priced under Rs. 20,000. Meanwhile, the Mi Band 3 is going on sale in China with a price tag of CNY 169 which is approximately Rs.1,800. There is another version of this watch with NFC support that cost CNY 199 (approx. Rs.2,100). The Indian sale of the watches should also be around these price point. For those who might have been looking forward to the Mi 8 or the Mi 8 Explorer Edition, we would advise not to hold their breaths as those are not likely release in India anytime soon (if ever). Mi 8i: Specifications, Features Compared to the Mi 8, the Mi 8i comes with a smaller screen and a slightly lesser powered processor. This phone will be the first smartphone in the world to feature Qualcomm’s latest mid-tier SOC, the Snapdragon 710. This CPU uses eight Kryo cores in 4×4 configuration where four performance cores can clock up to 2.2GHz, and four energy-efficient cores will reach speeds of 1.7GHz. The chipset is also equipped with AI capabilities similar to those of the Snapdragon 845. The display on the Mi 8i measures 8.8-inches and is using an AMOLED panel. It has achieved a screen to body ratio of 81.3%, supports HDR10 content, and comes with Corning Gorilla Glass protection. For imaging, the phone utilises a dual camera setup at the back with a 12MP f/1.9 lens paired with a 5MP f/2.0 sensor. The camera setup features gyro-EIS and comes with dual pixel phase detection autofocus. The front camera is a massive 20MP snapper which should perform admirably. This phone is expected to launch with the latest MIUI 10 version baked on top of Android 8.0 Oreo. Fuelling the device is a 3120mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0. This is achieved using a USB Type-C port. Unfortunately, Xiaomi decided to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack in favour of this port. Connectivity options on the device include Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, GPS and Bluetooth 5.0. Mi Band 3: Specifications, Features The Mi band 3 sports a capacitive OLED touchscreen which measures 0.78-inches. It has an integrated microphone that lets users answer calls directly from the watch. It carries over the ability to receive app and call notifications from the Mi Band 2. The new watch is also claimed to be water resistant and can be submerged under water up to deaths of 50 meters. It should be capable of surviving a swim even though Xiaomi hasn’t specified an IP rating beyond the watch 5 ATM rating. The Mi band will support any Android device running Android 4.4 and above, and even any Apple device running iOS 9.0 and above. Pairing it with an MIUI smartphone will allow additional features such as auto-unlocking the smartphone. The pedometer in the new watch is claimed to have been improved over its predecessor. You also get a motion tracker, heart-rate (PPG) sensor, a triaxial acceleration sensor, and the ability to monitor sleep activity. It comes with a 110mAh battery which is claimed to last up to 20 days on a single charge.<doc-sep>
Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 SE and Mi Band 3 to launch today in China: Livestream timings, how to watch, India time, and more. Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 SE and Mi Band 3 to launch today in China: Livestream timings, how to watch, India time, and more. Xiaomi’s annual product launch event is happening on May 31, which is today, where Mi 8, Mi 8 SE and MIUI 10, Mi Band 3, are likely to be unveiled. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun is expected to host the keynote in Shenzhen, China. The event kicks off on Thursday at 2 pm local time (11:30am IST), and will be streamed live on the company’s official site. Alternatively, you can get all the latest updates about the annual product launch event on Xiaomi’s official Facebook and Twitter handles. Here’s all the details for Xiaomi’s annual product launch event. Xiaomi Mi 8 launch event: When is it and where is it? The highlight of Xiaomi’s event is the Mi 8 flagship phone. Xiaomi chose Shenzhen as the venue for the launch, the Chinese equivalent of Silicon Valley. The event starts at 2 pm local time, which is 11:30 am in India. Xiaomi will be live streaming the Mi 8 product launch event as it happens. If you wish to watch the keynote, you can tune in to Xiaomi’s Facebook page to watch the stream online. You can also get all the updates through the company’s Twitter account or by following Xiaomi on Instagram. Xiaomi Mi 8 launch event: What to expect? Xiaomi is planning to launch a ton of new devices at its annual product launch event in Shenzhen. Of course, the big focus will be on the Mi 8 – the company’s next-generation flagship smartphone. The Mi 8 will be the sequel to the last year’s Mi 6 (yes, it will skip the Mi 7 brand name). The Mi 8 will be the eighth-anniversary smartphone for Xiaomi, and perhaps the reason the company has been building so much hype around the device. Xiaomi Mi 8 will be powered by a Snapdragon 845 processor coupled with 6GB RAM and 64GB of internal memory. Leaked photos of the retail box suggest a 16MP front-facing camera and 20/16MP dual cameras on the back. The battery is listed as 3300mAh, while the display is said to be an FHD one. Separately, a leaked promo image of the Mi 8 reveals the device to feature a notch above the screen and the fingerprint scanner on the rear. Many believe Xiaomi Mi 8 will be the first Android smartphone to come with an advanced 3D facial recognition feature, similar to Apple’s FaceID. Beyond that, the Mi 8 will debut with face filters that are similar to Apple’s Animoji and Samsung’s AR Emoji. While the smartphone will be made available in China initially, India will see the launch of the flagship shortly. While the smartphone will be made available in China initially, India will see the launch of the flagship shortly. Xiaomi Mi 8 will launch in a total of eight international markets, including India. While the smartphone will be made available in China initially, India will see the launch of the flagship shortly. We’re expecting more details to be shared at the keynote event tomorrow. The Mi 8 is expected to cost around Yuan 2,999 (or approx Rs 31,592). Other than the Mi 8, Xiaomi is expected to launch the Mi 8 SE. It is said to be a lower-end version of the Mi 8, featuring a display notch and a Snapdragon 710 SoC. The previous report indicates that the Mi 8 SE could come in three storage options – 64GB, 128GB and 256GB and all three variants packing 6GB RAM. The Mi 8 SE is also come equipped with AI-powered dual rear cameras with 1.4μm pixel size and a 20MP front snapper with selfie light. Xiaomi will also announce the MIUI 10 on May 31. The latest custom UI is will be different from MIUI 9. Instead, it will be quite similar to what Android P is bringing to the table. The multitasking menu has been revamped, performance will be boosted, and gesture controls will also be present in MIUI 10.