Xiaomi has recently presented to the public what is possibly one of the most innovative mobiles of the decade, it is the Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha , a terminal that carries the concept of a curved screen several steps up, reaching a body-screen ratio of 180 % , being the first to achieve it. But this is not all, since it also has a spectacular 108MP camera made in collaboration with Samsung, and, if that were not enough, it also has state-of-the-art 5G connectivity. 

Impressive and also questionable, this is the design of the Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha : Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha, an innovative mobile with a surround screen, 108MP sensor and 5G

The  Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha  is a terminal that impresses as much as it puzzles, since it is characterized by a curved screen that surrounds the entire terminal , well, almost everything, the only thing that is not a screen is a thin ceramic strip on the back , which houses the device’s cameras and antennas. Additionally, the upper and lower bezels are just 2.15 millimeters thick, being extremely tiny. 

This is the first terminal of its kind and surprises with a screen-to-body ratio of 180.6%, in addition, its body is supported by a light titanium frame that is combined with a ceramic strip and sapphire crystal to protect the lenses. 

Going into details, the  Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha  employs a 7.92-inch flexible OLED panel , which offers an unusual resolution of 2,088 x 2,250 pixels. 

Making this 4D immersive screen possible has been an achievement of modern engineering and according to statements by  Lei  Jun, the CEO of Xiaomi, it has required an investment of more than 500 million yuan ($ 70 million dollars). This screen uses a series of technological solutions to make its design possible, such as, for example, pressure sensitive sides, which act as physical buttons with the help of a haptic linear motor .  

Also, with the help of multiple sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms, accidental touches of the screen can be prevented and usage behavior can be predicted. 

It is still not clear if its design is highly innovative or simply impractical beyond measure, we will have to wait for the opinion of the first critics, but from Xiaomi they tell us that this is what the future looks like. 

State-of-the-art hardware and software 

In terms of hardware, the terminal is as equipped as you would expect, carrying a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ processor with 5G support and dual SIM. Only one memory version has been confirmed, consisting of 12GB of RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.0 internal storage. 

For its part, the terminal’s battery is not very large, only 4,050mAh , which could be very fair when we consider the size of its huge screen, but at least it makes up for it with 40W fast charging . 

In the field of software, this terminal runs with MIUI 11 based on Android 10 , but beyond that Xiaomi has implemented several functions to fit its surround screen. Among these is an AI on board capable of making contextual suggestions depending on where we are.  

Xiaomi explains that, if we are at home, this AI will open the Mi Home app to control all our IoT devices   but it can also be useful to help you order a taxi or to show you flight information if you are in an airport. 

Triple camera with 108MP sensor 

The camera is one of the greatest attractions of the Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha , not in vain it uses the Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX 108MP sensor as its main camera, the same one that was developed in collaboration between these large companies. Xiaomi has already boasted of its photographic capabilities  and how it can capture images with a resolution of 12032 x 9024 pixels. 

Going into detail, this sensor has a size of 1 / 1.33 ”and is equipped with four-axis optical stabilization, as well as has a super pixel size of 1.6 microns and the ability to combine four pixels into one. 

That sensor is accompanied by a secondary 20MP ultra-wide angle sensor and a 12MP telephoto lens that adds 2X optical zoom to the mix. Finally, there is no need for a front sensor , since the same rear camera acts as the selfie camera   and it will be enough to turn the terminal over so that it starts the application automatically.  

Availability and price of the Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha : Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha, an innovative mobile with a surround screen, 108MP sensor and 5G

The  Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha  is in every sense of the word, a “conceptual” mobile, which means that few units will be produced initially , with some prototypes being displayed in Xiaomi stores and going into mass production at the end of this year. 

In this vein, its cost is quite outrageous and for the first time in history we can say that a Xiaomi product does not come with an affordable price. The company has set a starting price of 19,999 yuan, which translates into 2,560 euros at the change without taking into consideration taxes or fees . This implies that it is even more expensive than the folding terminals of Samsung and Huawei, the Galaxy Fold (2,000 euros) and Mate X (2,299) respectively.