[Update]: Upon further inquiry, sources claim that such a launch in India for just two devices next month is unlikely. The naming convention of the Mi 8 SE to be rebranded as Mi 8i has not been confirmed either, even though the product URL does use the latter. We would suggest you to take this report with a grain of salt. Rest assured, we will keep you informed as soon as we obtain something concrete regarding Xiaomi sales in India.
Xiaomi is planning to release its new Mi 8 SE in India with a slight change to its name. It will now be called the Mi 8i where the “i” is meant to signify India. Xiaomi’s official link to the product page also refers to the smartphone as Mi 8i instead. The phone will launch in India next month alongside the Mi Band 3. The wearable is a decent upgrade over its predecessor, and we are excited to try it out as soon as we can get our hands on it.
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Mi 8i, Mi Band 3: Expected Price in India
The Mi 8 SE launched in China with a starting price of 1,799 yuan which roughly equates to Rs. 18,970. We are expecting this device to release in India priced under Rs. 20,000. Meanwhile, the Mi Band 3 is going on sale in China with a price tag of CNY 169 which is approximately Rs.1,800. There is another version of this watch with NFC support that cost CNY 199 (approx. Rs.2,100). The Indian sale of the watches should also be around these price point.
For those who might have been looking forward to the Mi 8 or the Mi 8 Explorer Edition, we would advise not to hold their breaths as those are not likely release in India anytime soon (if ever).
Mi 8i: Specifications, Features
Compared to the Mi 8, the Mi 8i comes with a smaller screen and a slightly lesser powered processor. This phone will be the first smartphone in the world to feature Qualcomm’s latest mid-tier SOC, the Snapdragon 710. This CPU uses eight Kryo cores in 4×4 configuration where four performance cores can clock up to 2.2GHz, and four energy-efficient cores will reach speeds of 1.7GHz. The chipset is also equipped with AI capabilities similar to those of the Snapdragon 845.
The display on the Mi 8i measures 8.8-inches and is using an AMOLED panel. It has achieved a screen to body ratio of 81.3%, supports HDR10 content, and comes with Corning Gorilla Glass protection. For imaging, the phone utilises a dual camera setup at the back with a 12MP f/1.9 lens paired with a 5MP f/2.0 sensor. The camera setup features gyro-EIS and comes with dual pixel phase detection autofocus. The front camera is a massive 20MP snapper which should perform admirably.
This phone is expected to launch with the latest MIUI 10 version baked on top of Android 8.0 Oreo. Fuelling the device is a 3120mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0. This is achieved using a USB Type-C port. Unfortunately, Xiaomi decided to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack in favour of this port. Connectivity options on the device include Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, GPS and Bluetooth 5.0.
Mi Band 3: Specifications, Features
The Mi band 3 sports a capacitive OLED touchscreen which measures 0.78-inches. It has an integrated microphone that lets users answer calls directly from the watch. It carries over the ability to receive app and call notifications from the Mi Band 2. The new watch is also claimed to be water resistant and can be submerged under water up to deaths of 50 meters. It should be capable of surviving a swim even though Xiaomi hasn’t specified an IP rating beyond the watch 5 ATM rating.
The Mi band will support any Android device running Android 4.4 and above, and even any Apple device running iOS 9.0 and above. Pairing it with an MIUI smartphone will allow additional features such as auto-unlocking the smartphone. The pedometer in the new watch is claimed to have been improved over its predecessor. You also get a motion tracker, heart-rate (PPG) sensor, a triaxial acceleration sensor, and the ability to monitor sleep activity. It comes with a 110mAh battery which is claimed to last up to 20 days on a single charge.
