Xiaomi is set to announce the Mi 10 Youth Edition 5G smartphone along with MIUI 12 in an event in China. While the Mi 10 Youth Edition is most likely the Mi 10 Lite 5G launched in Europe, all eyes are on the upcoming new user interface from Xiaomi which will be pushed to a host of Xiaomi-made devices across the world, eventually.
So, while the Mi 10 Youth Edition 5G may just stick to the Chinese market, MIUI will have a big impact on Xiaomi’s portfolio of devices across the world and especially in India. With its key competitors (Oppo, Vivo and Realme) going all out with their new interfaces for 2020, MIUI was also looking to follow suit.
In all likeliness, the Mi 10 Youth Edition 5G will be the first smartphone to run on MIUI 12. The custom Android skin was teased by Xiaomi executives on Weibo, and going by the teasers, MIUI 12 will likely look at offering a consistent user experience, along with more privacy options. To this regard, Xiaomi has unveiled a new Privacy logo that will be applied to all its future products to assuage users of Mi phones offering user privacy.
Xiaomi also confirmed it has developed an open-source Mobile AI Compute Engine that will allow mobile phones to perform offline computing without uploading the data to servers, ensuring maximum security for users. Notably, this is something that Apple does in iOS devices.
Another more holistic upgrade is a new information security management system that’s based on six important rules — Data minimisation, openness, transparency, security protection, purpose limitation, compliance review and clear responsibilities. More details around Xiaomi’s new push for privacy will be revealed at the event scheduled today.
Furthermore, Xiaomi is expected to unveil a new design language for the UI, maybe a more consistent dark mode but definitely facelifts for its stock apps. One such app that is expected to get a big upgrade is the Notes app which is set to get a lot cleaner and intuitive. Reports claim the Notes app will sync with the to-do lists with a single click.
There are more such features on the cards, which will only be confirmed once Xiaomi makes the announcement. As for the release date, we expect Xiaomi to reveal a timeline for devices that will receive the update to the new UI at the event.
There seems to be a high demand for mid-range 5G smartphones in China, and Xiaomi is looking to make the most of it. The Mi 10 Youth Edition is likely to launch in four variants. The base model with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage, another with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, one with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage and one last with 8GB RAM with 256GB storage.
The price is expected to start from RMB 2,299 (roughly Rs 24,800) for the 6+64GB variant, RMB 2,499 (roughly Rs 27,000) for the 6+128GB variant, RMB 2,699 (roughly Rs 29,000) for the 8+128GB variant and RMB 2,999 (roughly Rs 32,000) for the 8+256GB variant.
The Mi 10 Youth Edition 5G is expected to come with a 6.57-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution. Xiaomi has confirmed it is a Samsung display with a high contrast ratio. The phone, quite expectedly, is powered by the Snapdragon 765G SoC which comes with an integrated 5G modem.
While many think the Mi 10 Youth Edition 5G will be the same as the Mi 10 Lite 5G launched in Europe, the camera specs may differ a little. The company teased a quad-camera setup at the back that includes 50x digital zoom. The primary camera is expected to house a 48MP sensor, paired with an ultra-wide lens and two more lenses. However, none of them has the folded periscope design so it will be interesting to see how Xiaomi achieves the 50x zoom that it promised. In addition, it’s expected to offer a 16MP front camera in a waterdrop notch. The phone is rumoured to offer a 4,160mAh battery and run MIUI 12 out of the box.