Xiaomi Mi 7 to support Qi wireless charging

While the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ may be in the headlines—and rightfully so, they're debatably the biggest flagships of the year after all—Xiaomi may be set to offer great competition this year with the Mi 7. The company has confirmed that the device will be the first Xiaomi offering to support wireless charging.

Xiaomi was reported to have joined the Wireless Power Consortium a few months ago, a prerequisite for using Qi Wireless Charging on its devices. The company confirmed on its official WeChat channel that the Mi 7 will, in fact, feature that technology, with American company IDT, providing the required modules. 

The post also indicated that the Mi 7 would utilize IDT's RF antennas, which may mean the device could support US LTE bands. There were reports a while ago that Xiaomi was working towards forming a partnership with Verizon that would see it sell its devices in the US under the carrier's umbrella, so this isn't a surprise.

The Mi 7 is expected to also feature a facial recognition sytem, alongside AI-driven photography capabilities. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 845, will feature a FHD+ 5.65-inch display, and come with a price tag in the US$400 region. Mass production is expected to begin in February, with a March launch on the cards.