The Xiaomi MIX Flip has been unveiled. It's a folding flip phone (AKA flippable) that has flagship-tier specs, most notably a massive battery and cover screen. Here's everything you need to know.
A new challenger has entered the flippable arena: Xiaomi. At a launch event in Beijing, the company unveiled its first folding flip phone, the Xiaomi MIX Flip. Flip phones, which we like to call flippables, aren't new by any means, as Samsung has been making them for a few years now;as we talked about on this week's show, Samsung just unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Xiaomi's foray into the category has been a long time coming, as they already make book-style foldables (and in fact just launched their fourth-generation MIX Fold 4 at the same event). While Xiaomi's MIX Flip doesn't look markedly different design from Samsung's flippable, it has a few things that, at least on paper, that sets it apart. Here's everything you need to know about the Xiaomi MIX Flip.
The outer screen on flippables has become larger and larger each generation, and they now almost take up the entirety of the front half. Xiaomi's MIX Flip, for example, features a large 4.01" "All Around Liquid" outer screen that wraps around the two main cameras. You might think that would cause issues with applications, but Xiaomi cleverly came up with a way around that: by partitioning the display area.
Instead of rendering on the entire 4.01" outer screen, cover screen applications are instead rendered on a partition that measures 3.5" diagonally. Since this partition has a common 16:9 aspect ratio, Xiaomi says that "over 200 of the most popular applications run perfectly" on the outer screen. These applications cover areas such as "communication, entertainment, health, reading, shopping, and learning apps," and thanks to the "flexible framework" of Xiaomi's HyperOS, they can display "without obstructions or cropping."
The remainder of the outer screen, ie. the part of the display above the two cameras, is reserved for a swipeable widget carousel that can "display time, weather, step count, music control, and recently used apps during daily use." The widget can also automatically switch to showing real-time information from important notifications for rideshares, food deliveries, and flights/trains.
According to Xiaomi, the MIX Flip's outer screen also supports auto-rotation, a full-screen keyboard (with an "AI Input Assistant" to help refine or generate text), a notification center, and control center, so you can interact with your phone's hardware, apps, and notifications without unfolding the device. The outer screen also has a quad-curved design, a 1392x1208 resolution panel with 460ppi and up to 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and eye protection features, which Xiaomi says enable a consistent experience when transitioning between the outer and inner screens.
Speaking of transitioning between the two screens, Xiaomi highlighted some other features that they say will reduce how often you have to unfold the MIX Flip. The MIX Flip integrates with the company's「Human x Car x Home」ecosystem, so you can manage your smart home devices through the Mi Home app as well as your Xiaomi SU7 (if you happen to live in China and own one). Xiaomi's "HyperMind" intelligent learning center, which records your smart home device habits and proactively executes them, is also optimized for the outer screen. The MIX Flip also has an optimized antenna placement and Xiaomi's Surge T1 chip to improve signal strength, a dual dipole system to improve earpiece speaker quality and privacy, and an independent noise-cancelling mic near the hinge to improve call quality, all while the phone is folded.
When you unfold the device, you're met by a 6.86", 2912x1224 LTPO OLED panel that refreshes between 1-120Hz.
Reducing how often you need to unfold the device is convenient, but it also improves the longevity of the phone. Fortunately, Xiaomi says you shouldn't need to worry about that anyways, as the MIX Flip features the company's "composite fiber material," the same "6M42 aluminum alloy" for the mid-frame as the MIX Fold 4, Xiaomi Shield Glass and ultra-thin flexible glass (UTG) to protect the outer and inner screens respectively, and the "same high-strength and wear-resistant materials" for the dual-link hinge as the MIX Fold 4. Xiaomi Shield Glass is an internally engineered protective layer for the outer screen that the company says will protect it from drops and scratches.
All in all, these materials and layers allow the Xiaomi MIX Flip to survive 500,000 folds.
The Xiaomi MIX Flip is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which is Qualcomm's latest flagship mobile platform. That, on paper, puts it on par with the Flip's larger sibling, the MIX Fold 4, but the smaller body of the MIX Flip means it theoretically would need to throttle its performance quicker to stay cool. That's why, to ensure "comprehensive" performance, Xiaomi says they've implemented a "redesigned 3D cooling system" into the MIX Flip, featuring a 3500mm² vapor chamber cooling area with a "staircase" structure design that dissipates heat from the SoC. This heat is then "evenly conducted" through "double-layer graphite" over the hinge to avoid heat accumulation. The "aerogel" thermal insulation material used in the company's EV, the Xiaomi SU7, is used near the inner screen side of the "staircase" structure, which Xiaomi says blocks heat transfer to the display.
The MIX Flip's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is paired with an impressive 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. In terms of connectivity, the Xiaomi MIX Flip supports WiFi 7 in supported regions as well as dual SIM 5G.
To keep the device running for hours, Xiaomi equipped the MIX Flip with a 4780mAh battery, which is massive for a flippable and surpasses even the regular Xiaomi 14. Combined with the company's Surge battery management system, Xiaomi says the phone can maintain at least 80% of its capacity after 1600 charge/discharge cycle. The device recharges at a rapid 67W using the company's wired HyperCharge technology.
With the MIX Flip, Xiaomi continues its partnersnip with Leica, the famous manufacturer of high-end cameras and lenses. The Xiaomi MIX Flip is equipped with "next-generation" Summilux lenses for both main cameras. The primary camera uses the 50MP "Light Fusion 800" high dynamic range sensor. It's joined by a 50MP, 47mm "Leica floating telephoto lens" with a minimum focusing distance of 9cm.
The phone's "AISP" image processing platform enables features such as "Master Portrait" mode, which utilizes the PortraitLM model that Xiaomi says was "guided by real-life photographers," to enhance portrait shots without making them look artificial.
Some features that take advantage of the MIX Flip's outer screen have been added to Xiaomi's camera app. These include a makeup mirror mode that uses the floating telephoto lens while the phone is closed to let users check their makeup. In hover or "tabletop" mode, users can preview and take group photos, videos, or time-lapse photography. Lastly, the "Xiaomi Photography Kit" has been adapted for the device, which allows for "instant shooting and printing."
The Xiaomi MIX Flip runs Xiaomi's HyperOS software based on Android 14. It ships with several AI features including an offline translator that works on both the inner and outer screens as well as a "Travel Assistant" that can send "reminders of crucial information during flights and train journeys for business travelers."
The Xiaomi MIX Flip will be available in China in White, Black, Purple, and Xiaomi Nylon Fiber editions. The Nylon Fiber version has a material that offers extra protection against abrasions and stains.
The MIX Flip starts at 5,999 Yuan for the 12+256GB model, costs 6,499 Yuan for the 12+512GB model, and goes up to 7,299 Yuan for the highest-end 16+1TB model.
Xiaomi has not confirmed whether it plans to release the MIX Flip globally.
