Xiaomi is looking to introduce a new device to add on to its current Mi and Redmi devices which cover the high-end and mid-range segments of the smartphone market adequately. The Xiaomi Mi Max is expected to act as an alternative for users who want excessively large devices.
The Max is very much in line with what we’ve been hearing from another Chinese device maker, Huawei, which is also preparing its own giant smartphone, the rumoured 6.9-inch P9 Max. However, the biggest difference between the two will likely be the pricing. Xiaomi is expected to favourably price the Mi Max.
Reports show that the company has confirmed the official launch date of the device on Chinese social networking site Weibo. May 10th is the date of the big reveal.
Two weeks ago, Xiaomi ran an online poll asking its fans to choose a name for its upcoming phablet. Of the four choices, Xiaomi Pro, Xiaomi Plus, Xiaomi Big, and Xiaomi Max, most of the fans polled preferred Xiaomi Max and there is no doubt the company is going ahead with it.
According to listings on benchmarking site GFXBench, the Xiaomi Mi Max will pack a 6.4-inch full HD display, a Snapdragon 650 processor clocked at 1.8 GHz backed by an Adreno 510 GPU, 16 GB internal storage, 2 GB RAM, a 16-megapixel camera at the back and a 5-megapixel camera on the front and Android 6.0.1.
Xiaomi is also expected to unveil the Mi Band 2, successor to the world’s best selling wearable, the $15 Mi Band.
With new device portfolios, Xiaomi hopes to turn the tide and maintain the momentum it had gained before the sales slump last year in the wake of increased competition from compatriots LeEco (formerly LeTv) and Huawei and others like Samsung in its home market and abroad. Besides new devices, the company is also expanding its focus to new markets in Africa and the Middle East.
