Moondrop HiFi phone teaser gives glimpse of brand’s first smartphone

Audiophiles have limited choices when purchasing a new phone with HiFi audio. So, most resort to portable AMP and DAC to enjoy high-fidelity audio from their smartphones. As for phones with Hi-Res or lossless audio support, the Sony Xperia 1V, Google Pixel 8 (128 GB Pixel 8 Pro curr. $799 on Amazon), and the Asus ROG Phone 8 series are among the recent releases. But it seems there will soon be a new competitor in the segment, the Moondrop HiFi phone.

The company is well-known for high-end in-ear monitors and headphones. It even has a good portfolio of USB dongles that aim to offer HiFi audio, and as the latest teaser suggests, Moondrop is about to enter the smartphone market with the release of a “5G HiFi Mobile Audio Device.”

There are not many details available on the HiFi phone, but the website does suggest that the device could be called MIAD 01. The teaser also hints at a square design like the Sony Xperia 1V (256 GB curr. $1,198 on Amazon) with volume and power buttons on the left side of the smartphone.

While you may argue the Moondrop MIAD 01 could be a competitor to the Sony Walkman or other Hi-Res portable audio devices, the teaser is under the “Phone” section of the official website. There’s no mention of any reveal date either. All that the teaser says is “Explore the integration of art and reason,” along with a “Coming Soon” text under it.

As far as speculations go, as it’s a HiFi phone, the device will likely include a headphone jack with a Hi-Res built-in DAC. It could also incorporate high-end wireless codecs like Sony’s LDAC, LHDC, and aptX Lossless. But none of these are confirmed as the brand has yet to provide details on the smartphone.