Xiaomi to Debut Mi Mix 2 Smartphone the Day Before Apple's 'iPhone 8' Launch Event

Xiaomi has announced that it will unveil the second-generation version of its nearly bezel-free Mi MIX smartphone on September 11, just one day ahead of Apple's expected "iPhone 8" launch event in California.

The Chinese mobile maker confirmed rumors of its event in Beijing next month by sharing a launch poster over microblogging site Weibo featuring a profile of the "full screen" Mi MIX 2 and the accompanying phrase "Evolution, approach to final perfection".


Xiaomi turned heads in October of last year when it unexpectedly announced the 6.4-inch Mi MIX, which it called "the world's first edgeless display" smartphone, just as iPhone 8 rumors were beginning to gain steam. The device was pooh-poohed by some as "vaporware" when Xiaomi described it as a "concept phone", but the company began shipping the Mi MIX in December in limited quantities and received some respectable reviews.

Once again, French designer Philippe Starck is said to have worked with Xiaomi on the Mi MIX 2, which is expected to feature an even higher screen-to-body ratio than its predecessor, but will adopt a slightly smaller 6-inch display with an 18:9 (2:1) aspect ratio.

Speculation suggests Xiaomi may choose a metal rather than ceramic chassis to make the handset easier to mass produce this time. Internally, the Mi MIX 2 is thought to include a Snapdragon 835 chipset, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 3,400mAh battery. Prices are expected to start at around $600, with a higher tier model featuring 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for around $750.

Other China-based smartphone vendors rumored to be launching all-screen handsets to rival Apple's so-called "iPhone 8" include Huawei and Gionee, with others expected to follow suit. Apple will reveal its first iPhone with edge-to-edge OLED display alongside upgraded versions of its iPhone 7 and 7 Plus next month.