The mystery surrounding one of the most anticipated smartphones of this year finally comes to an end with Xiaomi officially taking the wraps off its 2019 flagship, the Mi 9-series. The Mi 9 launch event in China started off with the company's CEO Lei Jun taking the stage and talking about the Mi 9 before revealing other variants of the flagship.
Xiaomi Mi 9 launch event also witnessed the unveiling of Mi 9 Battle Angel Edition and Mi 9 SE as expected. The company also announced wireless power bank with 10,000mAh capacity at a competitive price of ¥149 (around Rs 1,500) and a 20W Mi Wireless Charger with a double cooling system for ¥99 (approx. Rs 1,050).
As for the Mi 9, the regular variant of the flagship costs ¥2,999 (around Rs 31,700) for 6GB+128GB model and ¥3,299 (roughly Rs 34,900) for 8GB+128GB model. The special Mi 9 Transparent Edition aka Battle Angel Edition costs ¥3,999 (roughly Rs 42,391) for 12GB+256GB configuration. Finally, the cheapest of them all, the Mi 9 SE costs ¥1,999 (around Rs 21,000) for 64GB model and ¥2,299 (roughly Rs 24,300) for 128GB storage variant.
Here's a look at the key features of the Mi 9, Mi 9 Battle Angel and Mi 9 SE models:
Xiaomi Mi 9
Xiaomi Mi 9 is the first premium flagship launched this year and brings to consumers top-of-the-line features. The Mi 9 boasts a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a tiny notch up top, an in-display fingerprint scanner and Corning Gorilla Glass 6. The rear back is made of glass, but Xiaomi has added a holographic design by using nano-scale laser holography process and double layer coating for a unique gradient finish.
Xiaomi Mi 9's camera is one of the biggest highlights, featuring three sensors at the back – 48MP+16MP+12MP. The primary sensor, which is a 48MP Sony IMX586 f/1.75 aperture, uses pixel binning to create 12MP photos, just like in the Redmi Note 7 Pro, and the secondary 16MP is a wide-angle Sony IMX481 sensor with f/2.2 aperture and finally, the 12MP supports 2X optical zoom.
The lens cover is made of Sapphire, which is scratch resistant, and the handset can shoot videos at 960fps supported by PDAF and laser autofocus. On the front, there's a 20MP snapper for selfies.
Other useful features include a dedicated button for Google Assistant, multi-functional NFC chip, Always-On colour display, a Smart Antenna feature, dual-frequency GPS connectivity, an IR blaster, dual SIM support, USB Type-C port and more. The display is optimised with a plethora of features such as on-screen ambient light sensor, an ultrasonic proximity sensor, screen dimming optimisation, reading mode 2.0, high brightness mode, and a Sunlight mode 2.0.
Under the hood, Xiaomi Mi 9 is powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 855 chipset based on 7nm architecture clocking at 2.4Ghz, paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. There's a 3,300mAh battery with 27W fast charging support. The handset comes in Lavender Violet, Ocean Blue, and Piano Black colours.
Xiaomi Mi 9 Battle Angel Edition
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer Edition will borrow most of the features from its sibling, the Mi 9, and add some valuable upgrades to justify the price hike. The biggest highlight is surely the 12GB RAM, which sets new standard high-performing smartphones. Pairing that RAM with Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is going to make operations extremely smooth, even for high-graphics and power-hungry apps.
The 256GB storage is yet another feature users will love as they won't have to worry about running out of space on phone. It may not be a breakthrough addition, but sure makes an impact on users.
Finally, the visual appeal is the transparent back on the phone. You'll love it.
Xiaomi Mi 9 SE
Since the Mi 9 and Mi 9 Explorer meet the requirements of those who are willing to pay for nothing but the best, the Mi 9 SE is targeted towards budget-conscious shoppers. Naturally, the features are toned down to match the low pricing model.
Xiaomi Mi 9 SE comes with a 5.97-inch AMOLED display with an in-display fingerprint scanner. It is the first smartphone to come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon712 chipset with 6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage options. Under the hood, there's a 3,070mAh battery with 18W fast charging support via USB Type-C port.
As for the optics, the primary shooter is a 13MP ultra-wide lens paired with an 8MP telephoto sensor. On the front is a 20MP sensor with beauty filters.
Xiaomi's 2019 flagship lineup is a solid mix of premium features and affordability, meeting requirements of all types of consumers. There's no word on the phones' release in India, but we expect to know more soon. Stay tuned for updates.
