The proximity sensor is small in size, but its value is great for devices. But with the correctness of its work in smartphones, Xiaomi did not work out. And this problem accompanies the company’s devices for more than one year. Xiaomi announced last year that it was determined to get rid of the problem. But, there is a possibility that the Redmi Note 11 series in the global market will continue to suffer; due to the incorrect operation of the proximity sensor.
It turned out that in smartphones of the Redmi Note 11 series, the company re-installed proximity sensors from the Norwegian company Elliptic Labs. Experts blamed these sensors as the cause of malfunctions in the proximity sensors. Xiaomi announced last year that it would be ditching the Elliptic Labs solution; in favor of proximity sensors from Minghao Sensing.
But in an era of scarcity and the need to optimize costs, Xiaomi has re-installed a problematic sensor in the Redmi Note 11 series smartphones. And it took this step consciously in order to save money and avoid an increase in the price tag for devices. In this situation, consumers can only hope that the AI virtual proximity sensor from Elliptic Labs will correctly cope with its duties.
Gizchina News of the week
Redmi Note 11 series will arrive with the same broken proximity sensor
“Xiaomi has been using and trusting Elliptic Labs’ reliable technology since 2016. Xiaomi is starting this year by introducing our AI-based virtual proximity sensor in four smartphone models (Redmi Note 11, Note 11S, Note 11 Pro and Note 11 Pro 5G). Replacing hardware sensors with Elliptic Labs’ AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform™ software enables cost-optimized innovation and human and environmentally friendly solutions while eliminating ongoing supply chain risks. This makes Elliptic Labs an ideal partner for global smartphone manufacturers such as Xiaomi.”
Elliptic Labs’ AI Virtual Proximity Sensor turns off the smartphone’s display and disables the screen’s touch functionality; when users hold the device up to their ear during a phone call. Without that capability to detect proximity, a user’s ear or cheek could accidentally trigger unwanted actions during a call; such as hanging up or dialing numbers while the call is ongoing. Turning off the screen automatically also helps conserve battery life. Proximity detection is a core capability that is used in all smartphones across today’s market. Elliptic Labs’ AI Virtual Proximity Sensor delivers robust proximity detection without the need for a dedicated hardware sensor. By replacing hardware sensors with software sensors, the AI Virtual Proximity Sensor reduces device cost and eliminates sourcing risk.
None of the claims in this article are substantiated..
Xiaomi never started that they were going to change away from Elliptic, not to Minghao or anyone else, in fact they stated the opposite by strengthening their bond to Elliptic Labs in September with an enterprise agreement stating the intention to deploy it in more devices because there was no link to be found between the sensor issues and Elliptic Labs.
This article is, as they say, "Fake news".
Hi, could you please explain why a world leader within the smartphone industry would use Elliptic Laboratories solution if its "broken"? Would not using a such "broken" solution like this hurt their reputation and sales more than what there is to save? This doesnt make any sense to me.