Alleged K30 series smartphone from Xiaomi caught on camera but it's more likely a Redmi herring

Yet another mysterious smartphone has been spotted in the hands of an “unsuspecting” worker on the subway in China. This time, the sneaky photographer managed to take some snaps (see below) of the front of the rather chunky-looking device, which has led to the widespread belief that either the Xiaomi Redmi K30 or Redmi K30 Pro has just been sighted.

The Redmi K30 has already been teased by Xiaomi, and it is expected to be launched in 2020. Little is currently known about the device, but its predecessor was highly praised for what it brought to the table for an affordable price. Sources have suggested the device in the photos is the Redmi K30 (or K30 Pro) based on the facts that it’s being carefully shielded from prying eyes (although somewhat unsuccessfully) in a thick cover, and it is showing both MIUI OS and an apparent dual punch-hole selfie camera in the top right-hand corner.

It’s not exactly compelling evidence, but it’s reasonable to see why many think this could be the first live glimpse of Xiaomi’s Redmi K30 or Redmi K30 Pro. Xiaomi is renowned for marketing trickery when it comes to its new smartphone products and this could be another example of some “accidental” leaking. But there’s also evidence that points in the direction of mistaken identity.

A quick glance at the first photo does seem to suggest there is a punch-hole camera in the right-hand corner, which could imply the subject phone may be the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi K30 or K30 Pro. However, the second photo, which shows the same device under slightly better lighting, reveals the “punch-hole camera” to be more likely a couple of icons. With no selfie camera on show, it points to this particular smartphone being Xiaomi’s Mi Mix 3. The hardware buttons are in the right place, and it might be that the user simply has no need for a sliding selfie camera, hence the bulky cover.