Mi Mix 4 could end up being a foldable slider smartphone as Xiaomi continues to test devices with an external secondary display

Sadly, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 didn’t see the light of day in 2020 so far, and it seems unlikely the device will be launched before the end of the year either. While there is still plenty of expectation that a Mi Mix successor is in the works, what form it will take is a complete mystery. The Xiaomi Mi Mix line has been known for its innovative technology, with the Mi Mix 3 having a fully integrated slider camera solution. Another recent Xiaomi patent gave strength to the idea that the company is leaning in the direction of mass-producing a foldable phone…but what if the Chinese OEM wanted to combine both foldable technology and a slider into one phone?

A patent filed by Xiaomi and shared by LetsGoDigital describes such a mythical beast. It would be ideal for a Mi Mix 4/Mi Mix 2021 design, as it incorporates the slider phone aesthetic from the Mi Mix 3 but throws in a fully folding form too. Folding phones clearly have a future, and it seems likely that Xiaomi will eventually reveal an interesting non-prototype foldable of its own. The patent drawings below show a full display on the interior, while there is also a secondary screen on the exterior. The sliding mechanism is integrated into the exterior secondary display, allowing the selfie camera system to be revealed when required.

Of course, patents come and go, and that seems an appropriate way of describing rumors of the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4/Mi Mix 2021. However, it does appear that the company is testing foldable devices, with information provided by the reliable tipster Digital Chat Station stating that “the folding screen will explode next year”. A foldable Xiaomi smartphone that also comes with a slider mechanism would certainly stand out from the crowd, but it would also likely be prohibitively expensive and would be prone to dirt and water damage.