Xiaomi unveiled its latest phablet phone, the Mi Note 2, at an event in Beijing today, with the clear intention of filling the void left by the ill-fated Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

The Note 2 is the newest model in Xiaomi's premium Mi line and features a 5.7-inch flexible OLED display that sits under a panel of wraparound glass and curves around the sides of the handset.

Xiaomi Note 2
On the rear is a 22.56-megapixel camera with support for 4K video, backed up by a dedicated 3-axis gyroscope to enhance image stabilization. An 8-megapixel camera with f/2.0 aperture features on the front.

The Note 2 is powered by a 2.35GHz Snapdragon 821 processor and comes with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage capacity. There's also a 4,070mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 support, plus cellular support for 37 bands worldwide.

The Mi Note 2 starts at 2799 yuan ($413) for 64GB storage/4GB RAM, going up to 3499 yuan ($516) with 128GB storage/6GB RAM, and will be available in China first before hitting other Asian markets and presumably other parts of the world.


Xiaomi's focus on its premium range of phones comes on the back of a shift in consumer interest away from discount devices in the Chinese smartphone market, with buyers seeking out high end phones that can go toe to toe with models from the likes of Apple and Samsung instead.

Huawei, Oppo, and Vivo are three Chinese brands that all offer premium phones now costing over $300, leaving Xiaomi's inexpensive Redmi handsets looking less attractive to savvy buyers with more disposable income.

Tags: China, Xiaomi

Top Rated Comments

gabriel193755 Avatar
119 months ago
When Xiaomi stops copying Apple and starts copying Samsung you know something is wrong with Apple's design.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarlJ Avatar
119 months ago
Don't get me started on iOS it borders on being unmanly not sure what target group they have in mind but it would appear metrosexuals guess thats what you get for putting TC in charge.
If your gender identity is teetering on the precipice so much that you fear the perceived masculinity of an inanimate object like your smartphone as a threat, perhaps you have bigger issues than the choice of which smartphone to use.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
840quadra Avatar
119 months ago
There's no (sane) justification whatsoever to buy an iPhone 7 at this point. I was at the mall this weekend
and I dropped by the local Apple store, and boy iPhone 7 (aka Giant Bezel Phone) is such a massive let down. The matte black version looks like half assed toy phone and the glossy ones were full scratches what sort of idiot shells out a grand for cheap crap like this is totally beyond me. If you need to go premium get a Pixel XL, otherwise Xaomi seems a fine choice. Don't get me started on iOS it borders on being unmanly not sure what target group they have in mind but it would appear metrosexuals guess thats what you get for putting TC in charge. Whats with the HUGE icons anyway it looks totally retarded. Every September I fire up Steve legendary iPhone presentation from 2007 only to be totally disappointed. Apple is dead dead dead its a bloody shame.
Have you seen both the phones? You rip on the iPhone due to it's bezel, yet, you advise people to buy the Pixel XL which.. well..



Attachment Image
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
keysofanxiety Avatar
119 months ago
There's no (sane) justification whatsoever to buy an iPhone 7 at this point.
Support. Reliability. Quality. Water-resistant. Hardware/software performance. Longevity. Resell value.

I'd say there's no (sane) justification to pick a different phone over all that, just because its bezels are a little smaller.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
keysofanxiety Avatar
119 months ago
"Premium". 1:51 should tell you everything you need to know about these phones.



Snapdragon and snap casing. Utter junk.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
morcutt11 Avatar
119 months ago
Support: As long as it's in warranty.
Quality: As long as you don't mind if it bends or the touch screen rots away.
Water-resistant: As long as you can give up plugging normal things in.
Hardware/Software Performance: As long as you don't update the OS.
Longevity: As long as you have short term memory.
Resale Value: As long as you sell your device before you activate it.

I think the post you are replying to is saying there is no point if you already have a phone. As someone with an iPhone 6+ who hates his phone I still agree. I want out of this thing, but I'm frustrated that I have to pay for almost the exact same device to stop the suffering. I would have hoped that Apple would have admired it made defective products and replaced it proactively.
None of your support, quality, water-resistant, etc. points are applicable to the iPhone. If you're so frustrated with Apple hardware, you may want to look at a different smartphone manufacturer. Why would you pay to move to the iPhone 7 if you perceive it to be the same as the 6+, which you hate? HTC, Google, Samsung, etc. all make great phones (well, except for that Note 7 issue, but that's off the market now).
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...