Rumors of the Xiaomi Mi 5 have been circulating for quite a
while and fans may be wondering — will it ever arrive?
According to rumors, it’s still in the works, but here’s
everything we think we know about the Mi 5.
What will it look like?
Recently leaked images by a user on Weibo show off what looks to be the Xiaomi Mi 5 in four colors: black, gold, white, and pink. The notable difference in this image compared to that of previously leaked renders is the home button, which is not as round and resembles the button on Samsung Galaxy devices. The image does seem to confirm the rumored 2.5D glass front panel, assuming it’s the real deal.
A video was also leaked of the Mi 5 sitting on a wooden dock, but it doesn’t look completely similar to the leaked images. It’s a little more rectangular and not as rounded as the images purport the device to be. Of course, it could be an earlier prototype
In early December, two leaks gave us a look at what potential Xiaomi Mi 5 designs. The first came from GizmoChina and a Weibo source, and showed the front of the phone with a black border. The Mi logo and a home button — that’s expected to house a fingerprint sensor — were the only other points of interest.
In early December, two leaks gave us a look at what potential Xiaomi Mi 5 designs. The first came from GizmoChina and a Weibo source, and showed the front of the phone with a black border. The Mi logo and a home button — that’s expected to house a fingerprint sensor — were the only other points of interest.
A few days later, another image was published on the Weibo social network, this time in the shape of a full render. It shows a curved 2.5D glass front panel, and a similar home button design to the first leaked image, plus there is the hint of a USB Type-C charger mounted underneath. The Mi logo is missing from its usual home in the top left of the body.
None of the images are official, and should be considered speculative until the phone is finally made official.
Will the Mi 5 ever arrive?
The Xiaomi Mi 5 has been rumored for months, but we still have no idea when it will arrive, or even if it will at all, despite regular leaks supposedly hinting at the launch date. The last was December 3, from a source on the Weibo social network, but this day didn’t produce the Mi 5. Since the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 has now been officially detailed, any restrictions on Xiaomi’s plans may have been lifted, which may mean the launch can finally go ahead. Exactly when though, remains unknown, but there are now rumors of a January 21, 2016 date. We’ll believe it when we see it.
Before all this, leaks have endlessly teased the Mi 5’s launch. We’ve heard talk of the beginning of November, and in October, Xiaomi issued a teaser on Sina Weibo for an October 19 event, which turned out was the event for a Segway-type scooter, and several other products.
Earlier reports of a launch date for the Mi 5 have been all over the map. A July report from Chinese site Mobile Dad stated Xiaomi was targeting an August 5 date, but this never came true. Prior to the August date, there were other reports of a November 2015 launch. A tip published by Mobipicker said it had been informed of a November release for the Mi 5, which would be more than a year and a half after the the Mi 4 was announced.
Back in May, it was also reported by @leaksfly on the Weibo social network that Xiaomi would launch the Mi 5 smartphone in November, at the time reigniting rumors that had laid dormant since early January. In addition to the launch date, the leaker also commented on the possible specification — and it sounds like a monster.
Apparently, Xiaomi held off releasing the Mi 5 until Qualcomm’s ready to release the Snapdragon 820 processor, its follow-up to the much-maligned Snapdragon 810. The Snapdragon 820 was announced at Mobile World Congress, and is an entirely new platform for Qualcomm, and it promised samples would be available during the latter half of 2015, which suggests phones using the chip probably won’t be on sale until very late on, or more likely, in early 2016.
An analyst has also said the Mi 5’s announcement and release depends on when Qualcomm’s ready with the Snapdragon 820, and a 2015 launch date will only happen if the chip manufacturer can supply Xiaomi with the required amount of 820 processors.
What about the specifications?
While speculation still grows, one thing seems certain — the Mi 5 will be a powerhouse. In mid-November, after months of silence regarding the phone’s possible specification, a benchmark test for a device codename Gemini appeared on Geekbench’s site. While these can easily be faked, it does show the Gemini running an MSM8996 Qualcomm chip — better known to use as the Snapdragon 820 — with 3GB of RAM, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow installed. The Gemini’s appearance coincided with talk of a December announcement.
In late September, @leaksfly on the social network Weibo published another set of specs, and because they differ once more than those we’ve seen before, it suggests Xiaomi has been gradually tweaking the phone while it waits for the right moment to launch it.
Apparently, the phone will feature a 5.2-inch screen with a 1080p resolution, smaller and lower resolution than previous rumors — including those from @leaksfly — stated. The Snapdragon 820 processor with 4GB of RAM are still likely, according to the source, along with a 16-megapixel camera on the rear, and an 8-megapixel from cam. Android 5.1.1 is the OS mentioned, which will inevitably be covered in the MIUI skin, plus a choice of a 16GB or 32GB model.
Before this, according to a leak in early July, the spec was thought to be different. For example, the display was said to be 5.3-inches — slightly larger than the Mi 4 — and with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution. The rear camera was listed as having 16 megapixels, while the front facing camera may come in at 6 megapixels. The rumor mentioned a Micro SD slot for expanded storage, a micro SIM slot, a 3030mAh battery, and Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.
Talk of the Snapdragon 820 started back in May, after a @leaksfly rumor said Xiaomi will pair the processor with 4GB of RAM, and offer both a 16GB and a 64GB model. At that time, the screen was expected to measure 5.5-inches and have a 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution, making it slightly smaller in size than the 5.7-inch Mi Note Pro.
Other features listed back then included a 16-megapixel rear camera, an 8-megapixel front camera — both with optical image stabilization — plus a USB Type-C charging port. Xiaomi may use aluminum for the phone’s body, and it may measure just 5.1mm thick. Finally, as part of the Snapdragon 820, the phone may use Qualcomm’s ultrasonic fingerprint authentication system. The fingerprint sensor was also part of the July rumor report from Mobipicker.
We’ll keep you updated on all the rumors regarding the Xiaomi Mi 5, and let you know any official news when the time comes.
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