A year-old Xiaomi smartphone patent may shed light on the upcoming Xiaomi 12 series

Xiaomi is expected to launch the 12 series later this year, having introduced the 11T and 11T Pro last month. Thought to be arriving in December, the Xiaomi 12 series will likely include a regular model, a Pro edition and an Ultra.

Currently, leaks about the Xiaomi 12 series remain thin on the ground, but LetsGoDigital has discovered a patent of what looks like a flagship smartphone. According to the filing, Xiaomi filed it in September 2020 with the Hague International Design System (HIDS), an arm of the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO).

While Xiaomi submitted its patent in September 2020, HIDS published its documentation on October 15, 2021. As @UniverseIce has imagined with their render, embedded above, the unnamed smartphone has thin bezels on all sides, although not uniformly shaped. The display also has an aggressive curve to it, mirroring the Mi 11. The placement of the punch-hole front-facing camera reminds us of the Mi 11, too.

However, Xiaomi has patented a huge camera housing, departing from the Mi 11. Based on the images below, it seems likely that the apertures are, from bottom to top: an LED flash, a periscope camera, an ultra-wide-angle sensor and a high MP primary camera.

Unfortunately, it is unclear if this is the Xiaomi 12, 12 Pro or 12 Ultra's proposed design. If Xiaomi does release the 12 series before the end of the year, expect renders and hands-on imagery to leak within the next four to six weeks.

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