Xiaomi’s iPhone-inspired Mi 4 boasts flagship specs and high-end design
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi today unveiled its new flagship handset, the Mi 4, which combines cutting-edge specifications with gorgeous design. Like a number of its predecessors, the Mi 4 has been somewhat inspired by the iPhone, but its aim is to take on other high-end Androids like the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8.
The Mi 4’s impressive specifications sheet includes a quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5GHz, 3GB of RAM, up to 64GB of internal storage, and a 3,080mAh battery. Other highlights include a 5-inch 1080p display made by Sharp, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
The Mi 4’s biggest eye-catcher, however, is surely its design. From the front, it could almost be mistaken for a larger iPhone. It has beautifully thin bezels and a stainless steel chassis with chamfered edges that houses its metal SIM card slot and buttons. Turn the handset over, however, and the premium feel vanishes.
The back of the Mi 4 is made from plastic, and its camera and LED arrangement almost resemble that of the Galaxy S4. You can pull it off and replace it, however, and Xiaomi plans to offer alternatives made from wood, leather, and other materials just like Motorola or OnePlus.
The Mi 4 will be priced at just $320 for the 16GB model and $400 for the 64GB model, but Xiaomi is yet to confirm whether the device will be available in the U.S. or other international markets. It will go on sale first in China starting later this month.