Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 and Mi Mix 4 likely to be joined by Mi Fold in 2021 as Xiaomi's R&D department awaits a huge personnel and cash injection
It was already widely rumored that Xiaomi was preparing to announce the Mi Mix 4 but not many would have guessed at the revelation of a new upcoming Xiaomi-branded tablet series as well, which may begin with a Mi Pad 5 model. The company already has its work cut out with the launch of the global variant of the Mi 11 and a raft of other enticing products, but it looks like it's still full steam ahead for the rest of 2021.
Unsurprisingly, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has been preparing for this busy year, with the R&D department expected to welcome 5,000 more engineers into its ranks and see its budget raised from around 10 billion yuan (US$1.55 billion) in 2020 to 13-14 billion yuan (US$2-2.2 billion) in 2021. That should be enough extra hands and sufficient money to ensure that the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5, Mi Mix 4, and Xiaomi foldable phone all get released in proper working order.
Obviously specific details about the devices are scarce on the ground at the moment, although there are rumors that the new series of Xiaomi Mi tablets might feature a stylus and even target the premium end of the market where the iPad Pro and Galaxy Tab S7 reside. The Mi Mix successor is more than likely going to sport an under-display camera at the very least, while the Xiaomi foldable phone already appears to be getting closer to launch.
Source(s)
Lu Weibing (1/2, Weibo - in Chinese) & Wang Ten Thomas (Weibo - in Chinese) & SparrowsNews
