Xiaomi unveils Mi 8, Explorer edition and SE version

Xiaomi unveils its first smartphone with a notch-the Mi 8. The Mi 8 has a 6.21 inch OLED display from Samsung with a design of iPhone X and its notch wraps a 20 MP selfie camera.

The Mi 8 comes with a four way curved glass back panel and an aluminium frame. Mi 8 is powered by Snapdragon 845 which is currently the best processor in smartphones. With a 12 megapixel dual camera setup which has a sore of 105 on DxOMark – this smartphone is already in race of becoming a flagship killer.

Xiaomi says that this is the first phone ever to use dual-frequency GPS, which is supposed to give more accurate location data. Mi flagship devices tend to go real good at the price point they set. For that, the company is going all-out on the Mi 8 Explorer Edition. The Explorer Edition has an in-display fingerprint sensor that, for the first time in a phone, uses pressure sensitivity. Xiaomi also claims that the Explorer Edition is the first Android phone in the world to use 3D face recognition technology, like the iPhone X’s Face ID — and there’s an Animoji equivalent on board.

Xiaomi also came up with a small version of Mi 8 named Mi 8 SE just like the Apple’s fun sized model. It’s the first phone to use Qualcomm’s brand-new midrange Snapdragon 710 processor, and it has a 5.88-inch OLED screen.

The 710 is said to conserve 30 percent of battery usage than the earlier 660 and is said to have 20 percent better performance. The Mi 8 is will cost 2,699 yuan (~$421) in China, the Explorer Edition will start from 3,699 yuan ($577), and the SE available for 1,799 yuan ($281). As ever from Xiaomi, these prices are extremely competitive.

The Mi 8 will be available on China starting June 5th, with the SE following on the 8th and the Explorer Edition coming at a later date. No word on pricing and availability for India or any other markets just yet.