Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi Band 3, and MIUI 10 Launch Set for Today

Xiaomi, at its annual product launch event in China, is all set to unveil its next flagship Xiaomi Mi 8, alongside MIUI 10 and the Mi Band 3. It's also rumoured the company may launch the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE smartphone at the event. The event is scheduled to start at 2pm Beijing time (11:30am IST) on May 31. The launch will be the Chinese electronics giant's biggest event of the year as it prepares to upgrade its flagship smartphone series, mobile software, as well as its wearable segment that is begging for a refresh. The event will be live streamed on the company site.

Xiaomi Mi 8

The next flagship from Xiaomi will be launched today. As per confirmations from Xiaomi, the flagship series will skip the Mi 7 moniker and will jump straight to the Mi 8 branding to commemorate the company's 8th anniversary. The company has also confirmed that the smartphone will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC and leaks suggest the phone will get a wide notch and tall bezel-less display on the front and a vertically stacked dual camera setup at the back.

Xiaomi Mi 8 SE

Apart from the Xiaomi Mi 8, rumours have recently started pointing towards the launch of yet another variant - the Mi 8 SE. While not much is known about the handset, we can expect it to be a special edition of the original flagship model, and is said to run the new Snapdragon 710 SoC.

MIUI 10
While not much has been outed about Xiaomi's upcoming flagship mobile operating system yet, recent leaked screenshots reveal an Android P-inspired design that will bring features such as full touch gesture controls, a floating window, a new colour scheme, a quick preview window, and faster performance to Xiaomi smartphones. The leak also suggests that MIUI 10 will arrive on a number of the company's phones eventually.

Ahead of the public launch, MIUI 10 closed beta was opened up for users in China last week. For eligibility, users must be present in China and have a WeChat ID.

Mi Band 3
In the wearable segment, the Mi Band 3 has been confirmed to launch at the event today. Much like previous iterations in the Mi Band range, this one too will be similarly priced at around CNY 169 (roughly Rs. 1,800) and is rumoured to come with features like heart rate sensor, Bluetooth v4.2, IP67 splash resistant rating, NFC, calorie counter, sleep tracker, and step counter. The company has confirmed that the Mi Band 3 will be more durable than its predecessor.