The upcoming Xiaomi Mi 11 is claimed to be the first of many next-gen flagships that will be unveiled in the coming months. As the launch approaches, we now have more information on what to expect this time.

The launch of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 platform earlier this week was quickly followed by Android OEMs confirming their adoption of the new chipset. Out of the lot, it seems like Xiaomi will win the bragging rights of being the first to market with a Snapdragon 88-powered smartphone, in the form of the Mi 11. Latest rumours claim that it could launch as early as this month, or by January 2021.

Ice Universe, a reliable leaker out of China had more information to share about it. He seems to have acquired a protective film of the device, which suggests that the Xiaomi Mi 11’s display will be curved on all four sides — not just the sides, but also the top and bottom. Apart from aesthetics, this will also help with how natural the swipes feel, which are an integral part of how Android 11 in navigated. The only other recent phone to offer this is the Huawei P40 Pro from earlier in the year. He also corroborates that the Mi 11 will indeed be the first Snapdragon 888 smartphone.

Along with that, Digital Chat Station, another source with information around the development shared some of the internal specifications. He states that the Xiaomi Mi 11 will also support 120W fast charging, a feature that has made an appearance only on the Mi 10 Ultra till now. Wireless charging, however, might not make the cut. It is once again mentioned to not sport a 108MP camera, in favour of a new 50MP sensor. It’s too early to say if this change will be an upgrade or a downgrade, as some of the best camera phones of the year also opt for a 50MP primary camera. 

Overall, it seems like Xiaomi is betting big with the Mi 11 and not just playing it safe this time. This isn’t really surprising as it is going to be quickly followed by other Snapdragon 888 phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 just a few weeks later.