Xiaomi Mi Band 7 rumored to carry larger screen and a bigger battery

Ever since the product was first launched in 2014, Xiaomi's Mi Band Fitness Tracker has sold extremely well every year. Not only has the device challenged Apple year-after-year for the lead in shipments of banded wearables, but it also is a prime example of Xiaomi's value for money philosophy. And it is one of a few items that Xiaomi does sell in the United States (albeit via third-party retailers).

According to Magical Unicorn (via XDA) who has a "decent" track record when it comes to predicting the specs of upcoming Mi Band models, the Mi Band 7 is expected to sport a display larger than the Mi Band 6's 1.56-inch screen and have a 192 x 490p resolution (compared with last year's 152 x 486). We could see the device equipped with an Always-on display, a native GPS, and more. We are a bit wary of that GPS report because last year's model was also rumored to include native GPS and it ended up MIA.

Last year, the device had a larger, more colorful display and a pulse oximeter. The latter measures the amount of oxygen in your blood and usually is in the range of 95% to 100%. Anything less means that there is a problem getting your body to circulate Oxygen and could indicate a medical issue with the lungs or your circulation.

The Mi Band 6 also featured  more workout modes and was powered with a larger battery than the one used in the Mi Band 5. The Mi Band 7 reportedly has a codename of L66 and carries two model numbers: M2129B1 and M2130B1. It also will support more workout modes supposedly ranging from Aerobics to Zumba, and will also support over 100 watch faces.

One interesting new feature is called the Smart Alarm which is supposed to wake you up from a light sleep 30 minutes before your regular alarm is set to go off. And the Mi Band 7 will reportedly include a power savings mode to save battery life on the device which last year took the device five days between charges using all of the features and 30-days between charges when using the features sparingly.

If the past is prologue, we could see the Mi Band 7 released later this month. The Mi Band 6 is still available from Amazon and features over 100 watch faces to choose from. This device shipped over 1 million units globally in its first month of availability last year. The combination of its many features and its low price makes the Mi Band one of the most popular wrist-worn wearables every year.

The Mi Band 7 should continue to carry support for both iOS and Android. So far, all we get from Xiaomi about the Mi Band 7 is radio silence. The company seems determined not to repeat the mistakes made in the past when huge leaks revealed the specs and the design of the Mi Band before the product was introduced.

Xiaomi does have pressure on it to continue that tightrope it walks between keeping the Mi Band affordable and loading it up with features. Last year's Mi Band 6 was priced at nearly $60 at launch via Amazon (through the Xiaomi Store). That price has dropped as the new model waits in the wings.

The manufacturer has surely come a long way since releasing the original Mi Band back in 2014. Priced at the equivalent of $12, the device did not come with a display and tracked exercises and monitored sleep. The success of the initial unit gave Xiaomi the incentive to continue improving the product every year and consumers have responded by buying the product in big numbers.

We are at the point where more leaks and rumors about the Mi Band 7 could cross our desks at any time. So if you have an interest in an affordable but feature-packed wearable, keep checking in.