On Pentecost Monday I have great news for all phablet fans :)
Only ten more to sleep and the big announcement is expected to come from Shenzhen. Although we don't know the exact schedule for the 31 May event, based on leaks we've been reading over the past week, there are 3 new products that are likely to arrive, and all Xiaomi fans are eagerly awaiting them. Perhaps the most important launch of the first half of 2018 will be next Thursday, with the Mi 7 and the Mi 8 with an enlarged display size and a celebratory edition (after which the flagship could be updated with a number nine next year, but let's not get ahead of ourselves). And let's not forget the Mi Band 3, which will be previewed by Xiaomi CEO Xiaomi CEO on his wrist not so long ago.
You've already asked in the comments of the Mi 8 preview articles when the latest version of the Mi Max series will be released. Somehow I felt it, and I wrote earlier today what you Xiaomi CEO confirmed:
So what is certain is that to be presented in July the Mi Max 3, they are still working on it. The team is currently preparing for the Mi 7-8 launch.
What you read from here is just speculation (rumour)!
Perhaps the most certain thing about the Mi Max 3 specs, which are due in two months, is the display size. When launching the first generation of the Mi Max, Xiaomi took a big risk by building a display size not used by others until then on top of the correct SoC. Yes, although the phablet size didn't start with Xiaomi today, they were the first to use the giant 6.4″ display size. Because users got a fair camera, a quality IPS display, a durable unibody metal housing and a well-optimized MIUI.
As the 18:9 aspect ratio is now standard this year, the Mi Max 3 will also use this aspect ratio, but in a 6.9″ size, and probably with FHD+ resolution. That's tablet size in concrete terms. However, the width of the phone doesn't increase, only the length, not so significantly. This is specifically in relation to the size of its predecessor, the Mi Max 2. The third generation will get a full screen, meaning the bottom and top bezels will be much smaller, so the increase in size won't be that much of a jump in terms of the physical size of the device.
In the processor field, several different theories have been put forward. Some sources believe that the reason for the delay is that Xiaomi is waiting for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chip to go into mass production. They want to use this extremely powerful and low-power SoC for the first time in the Mi Max 3, which is already being developed for 18:9 displays and will support AI and AR technologies. Xiaomi also expects to use AI here, as virtual reality could be even more impressive on such a large display (although "only" at FHD+ resolution).
Others say they will stick with the Snapdragon 636, keeping the price low.
Battery capacity in the range of 5500-6000 mAh can be realized, of course with Quick Charge 3.0 support. Also new is Qi wireless charging support, announced earlier this year. It's expected to come to the Mi Max 3, not just the Mi 7/8 and Mi MIX 2s/3.
Unfortunately, the 3.5mm jack connector may fall victim to overcapacity (battery-wise), leaving you with USB-C for converter use or Bluetooth headphones.
The camera might get more attention this time, although the data so far is not very encouraging. A vertically-mounted dual camera unit is to be expected, but rumours about the type and resolution of the sensor are mixed. On the selfie front, the resolution and quality will not be strong, this could be inferred from a 5-8MP Samsung sensor.
You can also get an OmniVision OV2281 iris scanner with the S6K4H7 Samsung sensor. This information has been gleaned from leaked firmware files.
At the back, you can expect a Sony IMX363 or a S5K217 + S5K5E8 Samsung dual camera module. Let's trust that Sony will stay.
Another speculation is that it will have a 5MP front selfie camera with S5K5E8 sensor and F/2.0 aperture, while the rear dual camera will be 13MP with OV13855 sensor and F/2.0 aperture.
Android 8.1 Oreo base is a certainty, as is MIUI 10. In any case, you'll be among the first to get the latest version of MIUI.
As usual, we can expect two RAM/ROM configurations. A 3/64GB and a 4/128GB version (and maybe 6/64GB as well) will be available, the latter probably with a more powerful processor, which might be the Snapdragon 660. There's not much to say about the price yet, but the $283/316 price tag is pretty friendly.
The Mi Max 3 is coming in July, with as yet unknown (unconfirmed) hardware. Rest assured, Xiaomi knows what it's doing, so we won't be disappointed. It's a shame to bury the camera in advance, they'll know what to put in it. If it's the same as the Redmi Note 5, you can rest assured. :)
