Xiaomi unveils 6.44-inch Mi Max smartphone, MIUI 8
Chinese maker Xiaomi has announced a new Android phablet, called Mi Max, and officially showcased MIUI 8, the latest version of its Android distribution. The handset is large even for its class, featuring a 6.44-inch display that is more typical of a small tablet than of a phablet.
That is not the only thing that is big about it though, as Xiaomi has also added a 4,850 mAh battery inside Mi Max. This is one of the largest capacities we have seen in a smartphone and, with the help of MIUI 8, it should translate into great battery life -- 76 percent better than iPhone 6s Plus, the company claims.
Xiaomi will sell Mi Max with two different processors. The cheapest version gets a Qualcomm Snapdragon 650, coupled with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage, while the mid-range and top-end models sport a Snapdragon 652. The last two models have 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage and 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage.
Mi Max features a 16 MP camera on the back, with phase-detection autofocus, and a 5 MP shooter on the front. It is equipped to take microSD cards of up to 128 GB in size, making it an option to consider for storing lots of multimedia content.
There is also a fingerprint sensor on the back, an infrared sensor, and dual-SIM support. Mi Max is rather heavy, coming in at 203 g; it measures 173.1 x 88.3 x 7.5 mm.
The base model will go for RMB 1,499, the mid-ranger for RMB 1,699, and the top-end Mi Max will cost RMB 1,999. Those prices translate into roughly $230, $260, and $306, respectively. It should be available pretty soon.
MIUI 8
Mi Max is actually the first smartphone to ship with MIUI 8. It will take a while before the latest version of the distribution reaches other devices, as Xiaomi says it plans to release a developer (beta) ROM only on June 17, with beta testing starting June 1. Those who are interested in testing beta releases will be able to register on May 16. The developer ROM will support all Mi and Redmi handsets, according to Xiaomi.
There are quite a few changes included, as you can see here. Xiaomi has tweaked the power saving mode, multi-window management, security, Notes, Calculator, Scanner, Gallery, fonts, colors, and added more wallpapers.
The company claims that MIUI now has over 200 million users across the globe.