Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 might have a small phone variant as Lu Weibing sparks speculation with Redmi Note 8/Apple iPhone 4 comparison

Small phones seem to have been out of vogue for a long time, but there is still a considerable market out there for mobile phones that don’t have screens reaching over 6 inches in diagonal. Even the 2nd Gen iPhone SE, which is considered a compact device, has a not-especially-small body size of 5.45 inches (4.7-inch display). Redmi President Lu Weibing appears to have been pondering the subject of phone size when he posted an image showing an iPhone 4 (4.54 inches body; 3.5-inch display) on top of a Redmi Note 8 (6.23 inches body; 6.3-inch display). The Redmi device looks huge in comparison to the petite iPhone.

As this is a Lu Weibing post, and Xiaomi is famous for its subtle marketing ploys and teases, it’s unsurprising that a lot of comments on the post have focused on the potential of a future small-screen smartphone coming from either the Xiaomi or Redmi stable (or both). Browsing through the comments shows that two particular devices are mentioned quite frequently: the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 and the Redmi K40. Small phones from an OEM like Xiaomi would undoubtedly be popular and would fit the company ethos too – as a manufacturer that likes to innovate just like its regular source of “inspiration” – Apple Inc.

While news about the supposed Redmi K40 has already started dripping out, it’s more the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 that is expected to be something of a potential sensation. The unannounced device has already been connected with a whole range of incredible specs, including 100 W charging or more, Snapdragon 875 SoC, 150 MP camera, 2K display, etc. A Mi Mix 4 compact would be the icing on the cake for Xiaomi fans who love the brand/model range but don’t want a large smartphone bulging out of their back pocket.

Weibing’s image is accompanied by the text “the phone was so small” (depending on translation source). He may have just been simply reminiscing, but it’s highly unlikely. Another Redmi executive, Wang Teng Thomas, recently revealed that the company was “considering the demand for small size”, so it seems more than possible that a Xiaomi/Redmi small phone is being developed. It remains to be seen if the Chinese company can manage to stuff all the powerful components and features that smartphone users expect from a flagship nowadays into a small-screen phone though.