Xiaomi's first clamshell foldable, Mix Flip, might feature satellite connectivity
Xiaomi, a leading global smartphone manufacturer, made its debut in the foldable phones market in 2021 with the Mi Mix Fold. Since then, the company has introduced three generations of its book-style foldable devices. Now, Xiaomi is gearing up to reveal its first clamshell foldable smartphone named the Mix Flip.
According to MySmartPrice, the smartphone surfaced on the MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China) certification website under the model number 2311BPN23C. The listing verifies that the Mix Flip will have satellite connectivity.
As of today, only a few smartphones, including, for example, the iPhone 14 series and Huawei Mate 50, offer satellite connectivity (although, for now, it is a one-way messaging service, primarily suitable for SOS messages). Satellite connectivity, in general, enables phones to connect to satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO), allowing users to make calls, send text messages, and access the internet in areas without cellular coverage.
While the listing confirms the presence of satellite connectivity on the Mix Flip, it lacks additional details. Nevertheless, recent rumors indicate that the clamshell foldable is likely to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, deviating from earlier speculations of having the latest Qualcomm offering, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, under the hood. It is anticipated that the device will run on MIUI 14, based on Android 13.
Furthermore, not long ago online renders of the device have emerged, showcasing Xiaomi's plan to equip the Mix Flip with a triple rear camera setup. This setup might include a telephoto sensor capable of 3x optical zoom.
The Mix Flip is anticipated to debut later this year, likely alongside the next book-style foldable, the Mi Mix Fold 4. The precise release date remains uncertain, as does the availability of both smartphones outside of China. Xiaomi has yet to launch any of its foldable smartphones beyond China, making it unlikely that the Mix Flip will be the first to break this trend. However, only time will reveal the final details. Stay tuned for updates.
As of today, only a few smartphones, including, for example, the iPhone 14 series and Huawei Mate 50, offer satellite connectivity (although, for now, it is a one-way messaging service, primarily suitable for SOS messages). Satellite connectivity, in general, enables phones to connect to satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO), allowing users to make calls, send text messages, and access the internet in areas without cellular coverage.
Last year, Qualcomm partnered with Xiaomi, Motorola, Nothing, Oppo, Vivo, and Honor to bring satellite messaging to Android phones using Snapdragon Satellite. So, the presence of satellite connectivity on the Mix Flip could possibly mean it features the Qualcomm 5G Modem-RF system, the world's first commercial modem-to-antenna 5G solutions.
While the listing confirms the presence of satellite connectivity on the Mix Flip, it lacks additional details. Nevertheless, recent rumors indicate that the clamshell foldable is likely to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, deviating from earlier speculations of having the latest Qualcomm offering, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, under the hood. It is anticipated that the device will run on MIUI 14, based on Android 13.
Furthermore, not long ago online renders of the device have emerged, showcasing Xiaomi's plan to equip the Mix Flip with a triple rear camera setup. This setup might include a telephoto sensor capable of 3x optical zoom.
The Mix Flip is anticipated to debut later this year, likely alongside the next book-style foldable, the Mi Mix Fold 4. The precise release date remains uncertain, as does the availability of both smartphones outside of China. Xiaomi has yet to launch any of its foldable smartphones beyond China, making it unlikely that the Mix Flip will be the first to break this trend. However, only time will reveal the final details. Stay tuned for updates.
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