Xiaomi channels Apple for upcoming laptop and tablet releases: Mi Notebook Pro gets a MacBook Air profile and Mi Pad 5 will likely have its own Apple Pencil

Xiaomi has never really hidden the fact that it emulates Apple on a frequent basis: CEO Lei Jun is clearly a big fan of the latter’s products, having been caught using an iPhone, and he has previously divulged his admiration for Steve Jobs. Many of Xiaomi’s products show off some Apple-related inspiration, and this seems to be the case both with the upcoming Mi Notebook Pro and a potential accessory for the expected Mi Pad 5 (which in itself is likely going to copy the iPad Pro in a number of ways).

First up is a new teaser from Xiaomi for the Mi Notebook Pro. Yet again, the Chinese OEM has remained tight-lipped about what is going on inside the upcoming laptop series, but it has allowed fans to get a good look at the Mi Notebook Pro’s profile – and it is very slim indeed. Whether Xiaomi plans to rival the MacBook Air in terms of device thickness (not forgetting the egregious copy that is the Mi Laptop Air) with this latest release is unclear, but apparently using a single aluminum alloy block during manufacturing has allowed Xiaomi to produce a thin but still powerful laptop.

It’s more than likely the Mi Pad 5, or whatever Xiaomi labels its forthcoming tablet series (perhaps something under the “Mi Mix” brand), will closely resemble the fourth-generation iPad Pro or iPad Air. Therefore, having its own Apple Pencil-like stylus is a must for the Mi Pad 5, which seems to be on the cards according to a Chinese patent filing. The technical drawing of the Xiaomi stylus (see below) even appears to have a removable cap, just like the first-generation Apple Pencil. Considering Xiaomi’s success both at home and abroad, subtly and sometimes blatantly mimicking Apple's devices has been a profitable strategy for the company.

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