Xiaomi has launched its latest flagship, the Xiaomi Mi 5, at Mobile World Conference today. The smartphone is running Android, but will be able to be converted into a Windows 10 Mobile device when Microsoft releases ROMs that allow for the porting of the platform.
Xiaomi has crafted more than one variation of the same device, with the Mi 5 available in a 32GB/3GB of RAM configuration, and also 64GB with 3GB of RAM and 124GB (Mi 5 Pro) with 4GB of RAM.
All variants of the Mi 5 will feature the latest Snapdragon 820 processor, 16MP and 4MP Large Pixel cameras with 4-axis OIS, a 3,000 mAh battery along with NFC, fingerprint sensor and Qualcomm’s QuickCharge 3.0 battery saving features.
Xiaomi has also added a new Sunlight Display tech which will let you play and read the display on the Mi 5 even under direct sunlight. This technology can adjust contrasts of each pixel as per the available light conditions and can work just like Ambient Light sensors in most smartphones.
Vice President Hugo Barra said the Mi 5 broke ground for Xiaomi, both in features, such as advanced camera stabilization, and in design, with a scratch resistant ceramic used in top-end models.
“This is the most beautifully designed phone we have ever made, and it’s the one that packs the biggest number of technological breakthroughs,” he said after the event.
Barra declined to give a sales forecast to reporters.
“We are going to keep growing our phone sales, we have a huge amount of room to grow, not only in China, but in countries like India and others,” he said.
“But really our focus is going after Internet-savvy consumers, they are e-commerce buyers, they are not only buying our phones, but they are buying accessories, they are buying a lifestyle product.”
As per Xiaomi, Mi 5 will retail in China starting March 1 and will release in other countries in the next few weeks. The phone will retail in China for prices starting at RMB 1999 for the 32GB variant, RMB 2299 for the 64GB variant and RMB 2999 for the 129GB variant.
These prices translate to £219, £252 and £329 respectively.
Xiaomi Mi 5 Specs
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| Display | 5.15-inch FHD display |
| Processor | Snapdragon 820 |
| OS | Android 6.0 Marshmallow, MIUI 7 |
| Storage | 32GB, 64GB, 128GB (plus SD card) |
| RAM | 4GB LPDDR4 |
| Camera | 16MP rear with 4-axis OIS, 4MP front Sony IMX298 sensor |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh, QC3.0 |
| Dimensions | 69.2 x 144.55 x 5.12 mm |
| Weight | 129g (with 3D glass back) |
| Other | USB-C, NFC |
| Colors | Black, white, gold |
[/table]
