Monkey see, monkey do: Xiaomi Mi 8 to score iPhone X-like AR emoji
As a way to commemorate its 8th anniversary, Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi is set to unveil its brand new flagship device on May 31. It's expected to carry the Mi 8 name, feature top-of-the-line hardware, an iPhone X-like vertical camera, and also bring Xiaomi onto the notch design bandwagon. Interestingly, the notch on this one is expected to carry a slew of infrared flood sensors that will reportedly allow for face recognition and... Xiaomi's own take on the trendy AR emoji.
The company itself posted on micro-blogging network Weibo just recently, hinting that a "A big wave of cuteness is coming, " accompanied by the dead giveaway that is a slew of animated emoji looking very similar to Apple's own animoji. They feature a slew of cute animal faces, including Xiaomi's own mascot.
At this point it doesn't seem Xiaomi's interpretation of animoji doesn't bring anything new or beneficial to the table aside from blindly following Apple's footsteps with the "monkey see, monkey do" mantra that's plaguing the majority of China-based manufacturers. Xiaomi was on the right track with it exceptional Mi Mix 2s, a surprisingly well-done bezelless device, but it looks it could be taking an unfortunate detour with the Mi 8.
A detour that will most certainly further postpone its arrival on the US market due to the numerous patent implications and predicaments the Mi 8 will likely introduce.
Here follows the Weibo teaser:
In terms of hardware, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 will power the smartphone, coupled with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. Additionally, 128GB of internal storage will be on offer. On the software side of things, Android 8.1 Oreo will ship straight out of the box with the MIUI 10 custom overlay on top. Lastly, in terms of a release date and pricing, the Xiaomi Mi 8 is expected to go on sale towards the beginning of June, with pricing rumored to start at roughly $470. Here's more to know about the upcoming phone.
source: Weibo via GizmoChina
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