In the second half of last year, Xiaomi unveiled the Mi Mix 2 — the successor to the original Mi Mix which surprised everyone in the smartphone market with its bezel-less design. While the Mix was a concept phone that was released in limited numbers, the Mi Mix 2 saw a wider launch. Now, six months later, Xiaomi seems to be preparing the Mi Mix 2S for launch at MWC 2018.

The handset has already leaked in plenty of renders over the last couple of weeks, and today, a leaked firmware of the handset pretty much confirms its existence. The firmware files point to the Mi Mix 2S being powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chipset. It will also feature a 3400mAh battery and an 18:9 aspect ratio display with FHD+ resolution. While the handset will run on MIUI, it will be based on Android 8.0 Oreo thereby making it Project Treble compatible. Additionally, Xiaomi will be packing some AI-related features into the device as well. This includes the camera app automatically switching to an appropriate scene. This AI-powered feature has already become commonplace in a number of Android devices including those from Huawei.

Other specs of the handset revealed from the leaked firmware include the presence of an IR blaster, LED light, and dual-SIM support. In terms of design, the leaked renders point to the Mi Mix 2S coming with a 5.99-inch display with a bezel-less front. While the Mix 2 had a small chin at the bottom to accommodate the front camera, Xiaomi has taken a slightly different approach with the Mix 2S. The handset will feature a notch as per the leaked renders on its right edge which will house the front camera.

Our Take

Xiaomi has never really announced a smartphone at MWC since the company sells its handsets only in China, India and other neighboring regions. However, with the Chinese smartphone market experiencing a decline and Xiaomi looking to continue its momentum from 2017, the Chinese OEM is looking to expand to the western smartphone market. And Xiaomi has booked a huge stall on the MWC show floor this year — something which it had never done in the past. Add all the leaks and information, and its clear that Xiaomi will be unveiling the Mi Mix 2S for the western smartphone market at MWC 2018.