We will be at the Xiaomi Mi5 launch at MWC, what do you hope to see?

As you all know, we will be at MWC this year to see all the great new tech on show, plus we have been invited to the Xiaomi Mi5 launch, so what do you hope to see?

While rumours and leaks tend to be spot on when Xiaomi’s budget phone range are concerned, the company seems to take a different approach for their flagship devices.

With only weeks to go until we get to see the Xiaomi Mi5 in the flesh, we still aren’t 100% sure what the phone will look like, in fact the only confirmed details seem to be the use of a 1920 x 1080 display and Snapdragon 820 chipset.

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Rumours have claimed that the new Mi5 will have a front facing physical home button with fingerprint sensor, while images have shown two possible Mi5 versions (one with the sensor on the front the other on the rear) leaving us with no real clue what to expect.

With all the leaks and rumours taken in to consideration, plus your own gut feelings, what do you hope to see at the Xiaomi Mi5 launch? Let us know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: We may be compensated by some of the companies whose products we talk about, but our articles and reviews are always our honest opinions. For more details, you can check out our editorial guidelines and learn about how we use affiliate links.

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Andi

Michel
February 9, 2016
It’s easy:
At an european MWC I wish to see a Xiaomi Mi5 with Snapdragon 820 which supports LTE with Band 20!!! 🙂
Simon
February 9, 2016
I’m hoping for a premium device that can compete with other 2016 flagships, at perhaps a slightly lower price. Allow for an unlocked bootloader and the release of kernel sources.
Manu
February 9, 2016
Mi5 Expection: SD 820, 2k/1080p Display, 5.2-5.7″ Display, 3/4GB Ram, 32/64/128 GB Internal Storage, 13/21 MP Back f1,8/f1,9/f2.0 aperture, 5/8 MP Front, at least 3000MAh, Full Metal Body, Fingerprint Scanner, Price: 300~500€ (Reseller Pricing), Maybe Dual-Sim / 1Sim 1SD. Thats all xD

Adam Irvine
February 9, 2016
I’m hoping it has a nice round fingerprint scanner / home button on the front like Apple’s implementation of it, that’s about the only thing I like about the iPhone…
- balcobomber25
  February 9, 2016

MattD
February 9, 2016
What I’m expecting and what I hope are completely different things, to be honest.
I’d like to see a device with dual sim AND microsd, supporting all the basic bands worldwide, and a battery bigger than the one on redmi 3, since the screen should be bigger.
But probably the only thing there’s a slight chance we’re going to see is the dual sim, for the rest we should stuck with 16gb of rom, no support for bands other than China’s ones, and a battery smaller than the one on redmi 3 (somewhere between 3000 and 3600mah) due to the smaller thickness than the entry level.
All the rest should be in place: 5.2″ fullhd superamoled display, 3/16 and 4/64 versions, 8mpx front camera, 16 or 21 mpx rear camera, sd820, irda, sidetouch, and a fingerprint scanner granting them the right excuse for a locked bootloader (I’m actually not against the locked bootloader if they grant a tool to unlock it).
However, I’ll be happy if hugo barra himself at mwc conference says “no Matt, you sucks” and they go against everything i said above ?

ax
February 9, 2016
On a Polish MIUI-dedicated site I found an interesting info, related to some data defined inside MIUI, specifically for MI5. Text is of course in Polish, but xml data copied from MIUI is in English.
https://miuipolska.pl/funkcje-mi5/

realjjj
February 9, 2016
1080p ,5-5.2 inch and 3GB of RAM is very little if they price it at 1999 CNY. Others could offer a lot more. For it to be a big hit it would need a lower price and there is a chance it will actually be more than 1999CNY. Even if priced well, it’s barely high end with those specs and Xiaomi is left not having a high end device.
Others could do curved 1440p or flat 4k screen with 4-6GB of RAM , not necessarily at 1999CNY but at least those would qualify as high end and appeal to folks that want the most in terms of the specs. At 1999CNY others can easily go with 1440p flat and 4GB of RAM with an UI that is less resources heavy.
If they stay 5.2 inch or bellow only, that would be a problem too and they would need to launch the Mi Note 2 soon.
SD820 is also rather overkill for 1080p ,even if it throttles by 35-40% but would make the phone appealing if it was 1499-1799CNY and called 5c.
What Xiaomi and everybody else needs to be able to call it high end is either 1440p curved with no bezels (that would mean more than what Samsung has done so far) or 4k flat. 4GB of RAM is the very least they need to have but 4GB is not gonna get anyone excited when 150$ phones will have that. Ofc that doesn’t mean that folks will go with more than 1440p flat since most are likely to just try and save a few bucks.
Xiaomi is not Apple to use1080p and 3GB of RAM and get away with it. High end is not about good enough ,never been that, if you want good enough there is the Note 3 Pro.
A large battery also seems likely given Xiaomi’s 2016 models.That will be interesting since others are going with small to make the device thinner and users, as much as they whine about battery life, go and buy the thinner devices on looks.
Wifi ad , if used, is also a big opportunity but one needs imagination to create peripherals and accessories with it and i wouldn’t expect much from them. They would need a new router so maybe we see that.
The industry is a bit lost, they don’t really know what to do to make phones better.
Xiaomi needs stunning specs, stunning looks and a stunning price. So far it appears they’ll fail on all 3 with this device.
On the upside,the Chinese gov might have to let the currency devalue by quite a bit soon, they are really struggling to keep it where it is now and they can’t keep doing that for long. So the prices, from our perspective, might get a lot better soon.
- balcobomber25
  February 9, 2016
  I have a feeling there will be two models, one with 1080p and a “Pro” versions with 2k for those that want that. The base phone won’t be less than 1999, 14-1799 is unrealistic for a SD820 phone from a major manufacturer.
  - realjjj
    February 10, 2016
    2k screen flat is not enough either when others will do more and after a poor year for Xiaomi in 2015 they need home runs. They did much better this year so far with the 2 new models but this one is iffy.
    SD820 is just a 50-60$ SoC, you can put it in a 150$ phone if you want to. Take the Redmi Note 2 at 121.5$, add a SD820 instead of the x10 and you are close to 150$. Won’t have the same perf as the Mi5 due to other parts being lower perf but it’s very doable.
    1080p and 3GB RAM is very low , it would be the lowest specced SD820 available and at 1999CNY it wouldn’t be great. 1080p and 3GB are 2014 level specs, even then there were a handful of models with 1440p.
    - balcobomber25
      February 10, 2016
      - realjjj
        February 10, 2016
        The comment wouldn’t be any different if it was any other brand.
        Here, lets try Samsung.
        The S7 will sell poorly if it’s just 1440p flat. If it was 4k flat or 1440p curved at 700$ it would do a lot better. The S7 will offer too little over the S6 and its rather fast SoC. To make it worse, Samsung was lot more competitive last year when everybody else was stuck with SD810/808 and nobody else had curved (excluding Priv late in the year and in just a few markets). So S7 sales are likely to be poor to very poor. The change in looks, while minimal and far from ideal, it is positive as they dial down the glitter and move closer to a unisex design.The Edge should look less like a shovel too. Ofc they keep the big bezels, dumb home button, Pentile screen and if they go 12MP back cam it better be beyond great.
        The brand name has nothing to do with it.
        balcobomber25
        February 10, 2016
        Your bias towards Xiaomi has plenty to do with it. It shows in every one of your comments about them.
Mankiw
February 9, 2016
Bootloader is locked, do not buy this crap. I have the Redmi Note 3 and it is almost impossible to unlock, all are difficulties.
- lKinder_Bueno
  February 9, 2016
  Bought a note 3, after 6 days I received the code for unlock. So it’s not a crap the system
  - jimberkas
    February 9, 2016
    - lKinder_Bueno
      February 11, 2016
      It’s a great phone. Only the battery isn’t as good as my Samsung Galaxy Note 3
- balcobomber25
  February 9, 2016
  Good friend of mine bought a Note 3 and received his code in less than a week.
  - MaxPower
    February 9, 2016
    I might be retarded but I can’t complete the form (in Chinese). You should tell your friend to give me a help.
    I’d like to install their developer Rom for root, that’s it.
    - balcobomber25
      February 9, 2016
      He is fluent in Chinese lol but I will ask him if there is an English form.
      - Shashank
        February 9, 2016
      - MaxPower
        February 9, 2016
        I’ve got stuck when they ask me for the username.
        I pick mine and said already in use, I pick a new one and goes back to the for to pick an username.
        I’m confused
        
        Luc
        February 9, 2016
        Hi Max, have you been for a Note 3 Pro or a Redmi 3 5″? Do you think a Redmi 3 Pro will be released with SD650? Is SD616 a good SOC? MI5 will be expensive IMO around 350€ without shipping costs which is above my budget. I am looking for a device with a screen size not exceeding 5.2 Inch ideally and there are only few choices out there from brands like Xiaomi, Meizu and Huawei. Really wish that Xiaomi will offer soon a Redmi 3 Advanced with a powerful CPU. Any advice?
        
        MaxPower
        February 9, 2016
        I’ve bought the Redmi Note 3 pro (SD 650 version) and it’s a really good phone for the money.
        The camera is really good, the phone is very fast and battery life I is fantastic. Another big plus is the SD card slot.
        the Redmi 3 had the SD617 which is a good SoC (better than SD615 or MT6753) it’s not a flagship phone but if you don’t need crazy performance then you get a lot for what you pay.
        I agree with you that MI5 is going to be expensive and my guess would be around €400 (reseller price).
        Below 5.5″ you really have not many choices.
        If you think that Redmi3 might not be powerful enough so why don’t you with MI4C? That’s another great phone which goes for around $250 right now.
        
        Luc
        February 9, 2016
        Thanks Max, you went for the right phone in the market (Note 3 Pro). It offers a lot for a competitive price. I might be wrong for the Redmi 3 with a SD650 SOC. I think that if it was their plan they would have released/anounced until now but who knows. MI5 will be around 400€ through resellers and I don’t think Xiaomi would release a MI5C version too. There are few options out there, Redmi 3 or MI4C or maybe should I consider Note 3 Pro which is wider when compared to both phones mentioned previously. Redmi 3 is not a flagship but offers a lot for the money. I am not a heavy gamer, HD screen is fine for me. I think that I will decide between Redmi 3 or Redmi Note 3 Pro or MX5 32gb if its price fall drastically. Tired of waiting phones, am sure many phones will be anounced soon but there is still a long period to see the phone released. Cheers.
        
        MaxPower
        February 9, 2016
        Sorry, I’ve just realized I missed all of your questions.
        Do I think they will release the SD650 version of the Redmi 3?
        If you asked me this question 2 months ago I would have said “no way”.
        But lately Xiaomi has proven me wrong launching 3 different versions of the Note 3.
        so now my answer would be “possible” but still unlikely.
        The reason of a SD650 Note 3 is because the mediatek version can’t sell in India.
        This won’t happen with the Redmi3.
        But hey, I might be wrong.
        
        balcobomber25
        February 9, 2016
        I do think there will be a Redmi 3 Pro model but I don’t think it will have the 650. If anything it will have a bit more RAM and maybe a better camera with the same 616 SoC.
        
        Luc
        February 10, 2016
        Thanks Balco, I hope you are right but it is hard to wait for a Redmi 3 Pro version cos I need a phone quickly and am tired to wait for the perfect phone to be released (closest to my needs or pretty decent specs for the price). I have a few choices out there like Redmi 3, MI4C, Honor 7, MX5 or Note 3 Pro. Note 3 Pro is bigger and wider (I would prefer a 5.2″ phone) but offers a lot for a competitive price. MX5 had a price cut for the 16gb version which is pretty good. It is also a 5.5 inch phone but has a very compact design when compared to the Note 3 Pro. MX5 was last year’s flagship and has an amazing camera. If I could get it at 250€ with shipping costs (DHL) I will get it but I think that I have to wait.
        I know that plenty phones will be announced soon but I know that I will have to wait for weeks or months before to see those phones released and available at a fair price. A Redmi 3 or a Pro version would be great for the money paid. I wish I had a firend who had a Note 3 so I could test it to decide which phone to buy. Though decision when buying a phone.
        balcobomber25
        February 10, 2016
        There really isn’t a great difference between 5.2 and 5.5 inch phones. It will take you less than a day to get used to it. And if you watch movies or play games you will appreciate the extra display area.
balcobomber25
February 9, 2016
I would like to see the following:
5+ inch display (bigger the better).
1080P (2K is a waste of money and resources)
3/4 GB RAM
32 GB ROM
SD820 (not that important to me but it’s Xiaomi’s flagship)
16 MP Samsung S5K3P3 sensor found in the Redmi Note 3 Pro
Quick Charge
Fingerprint Scanner
NFC
IR
US LTE (chances are very slim but a boy can dream)
1999-2199 yuan price tag.

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