Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha delayed: no release date currently in sight

In September, Xiaomi officially announced the futuristic Mi Mix Alpha. According to Xiaomi, this phone is set to feature a 108MP camera and a stunning display design, with a 180.6% screen-to-body ratio, thanks to its wraparound display.

Rumors indicated that the Mi Mix Alpha might make it to market as early as January 2020. Unfortunately, Xiaomi has now put these to bed: in a conversation with Abacus, the phone maker stated that they currently have no clear release date for the Mi Mix Alpha.The Mi Mix Alpha was set to be a limited production concept phone. Since production was never going to be large scale, the indefinite delay indicates that the Mi Mix Alpha might have been canned entirely.

If this is indeed the case, what exactly are we missing out on?

While the wraparound design is the phone's key selling point, it doesn't skimp on internal hardware. The Mi Mix Alpha packs a Snapdragon 855 Plus processor and 12GB of RAM. A sizeable 4050 mAh battery ensures that that massive OLED panel stays powered all day. As a limited-edition concept phone, the Mi Mix Alpha (if it does come out) will be sold at the premium price of RMB 19,999, equivalent to US$ 2800.

With a whole generation of foldable devices introducing a new paradigm in smartphone design, the Mi Mix Alpha's release becomes less likely by the day. Will it actually ship in 2020? Or will Xiaomi focus on designing its own foldable? Only time will tell.