Despite being one of the pioneers of the now-popular bezel-less trend of the smartphone industry, Xiaomi has only one device in its portfolio so far, offering the 18:9 aspect ratio.
Since most smartphone makers have jumped on to the full-screen bandwagon with aggressive launch strategies, Xiaomi is apparently preparing a new handset that will join the Mi MIX 2 to fight for it in the increasingly competitive 18:9 display segment.
What has sparked the speculation that Xiaomi could soon introduce a new full-screen phone is the appearance of an unannounced handset on China's TENAA certification website with smaller bezels and a display with the 18:9 aspect ratio. Although the listing doesn't mention any name, the device is reportedly believed to be the Redmi Note 5 as the company is expected to capitalise on the success of the Redmi Note 4.
As it can be seen in the front image, there are no visible markings below the display to signify any capacitive buttons. Therefore, the device could feature on-screen buttons like the Mi MIX 2.
When it comes to the back of the phone, it carries the familiar Redmi look with some marginal retouch. The back appears to be slightly curvier while the antenna lines are not as thick as the existing devices. There is a single rear camera with LED flash, and a fingerprint scanner below it, while the Mi logo sits at the bottom.
Although the TENAA hasn't shared the specifications of the new Redmi phone, a Weibo use reportedly said that the device could launch with the 14nm Snapdragon 450 processor, which is an octa-core chip, taking over the 28nm Snapdragon 435 as the new leader in the entry-level category.
Other leaked specifications of the mystery handset include a 5.7-inch HD+ screen, 3GB of RAM and 32 GB storage. The Weibo, however, said that the device could be launched as the Redmi 5 Plus with a price tag of 899 yuan ($135 or Rs. 8,835).
