Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha 2 appears again in another patent filing with a pronounced notch

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has just teased the arrival of a new CNY 10,000 (~US$1,548) flagship smartphone, and one that may have an under-screen front-facing camera. However, a patent filing discovered by LetsGoDigital suggests that the Chinese company has been toying with the idea of returning to smartphones with notches.

Incidentally, the patent resembles another patent design that the Dutch website uncovered late last year. The latter revealed a smartphone with a wraparound display, like the Mi Mix Alpha, but with a large pop-up camera housing. Ultimately, Xiaomi cancelled the Mi Mix Alpha after showcasing it in 2019. Nonetheless, the two patents suggest that Xiaomi continues to iterate on the Mi Mix Alpha's design, and the mystery CNY 10,000 (~US$1,548) device could be the next version of it.

We are not fans of the large notch in the most recent patent filing, though. On the one hand, the notch in Xiaomi's patent reminds us of those found in recent iPhones, which are much larger than alternative solutions found in contemporary Android smartphones. On the other hand, the notch cuts into the wraparound screen, which would be the main selling point of any Mi Mix Alpha. Ultimately, the pop-up solution looks more elegant, in our opinion, primarily because it does not cut into the display.

We imagine that any future Mi Mix Alpha will have under-screen cameras though, as the arrival of more mature technologies has increased their popularity. With that said, Xiaomi seems to be considering a return of the notch, but it is another thing if the design presented here makes it to market.

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