We stop production after 9 - 9 months

Xiaomi unveiled its flagship Mi 9 just days before MWC 2019. Of this year's line-up, this model is my personal favourite, I wouldn't even trade it for the Mi Note 10 that's being launched. To date, it has everything you'd expect from a top-end phone.

The size (slim and lightweight, handy) and the knowledge are all right for me. The one-day battery life is compensated by the 27W fast charging and Qi wireless charging. I don't miss the 3.5mm jack, but I do use the infrared, as well as the white notification LED, which comes in handy when the AOD can't display e.g. Viber notifications. This is why the notification LED is so missing from the Mi Note 10.

The Mi 9 has performed far better than its predecessor, the Mi 8, in terms of sales, as evidenced by the relatively long (by Xiaomi standards) production run. Its sales strategy has been very good, thanks also to its quick time to market.

But in early December, it was time to hand over the baton to its successor, in this case the facelifted 5G-capable Mi 9 Pro (Mi 9 SE production had already been discontinued earlier.)

In China and Europe, for example, sales are slowly coming to an end, and only the stocks that are running out can be used by domestic physical stores.

So for those who have been thinking about buying Mi 9, it's time to make up your mind quickly while it's still available. Don't expect a price cut now.
The 5G era will start in 2020, and the price of the Mi 9Pro will continue to fall until then. It is currently available for €477 (about £160e).

Key Mi 9 Pro parameters:

• Snapdragon 855 Plus eight-core processor
• 8/12GB LPDDR4x (2133MHz) RAM
• 128/256/512GB UFS 2.1 storage
• 6.39″ FHD+ Samsung AMOLED display (with Gorilla Glass 6 protection)
• Sony 48MP triple camera
• 4000mAh battery (40W wired, 30W wireless with fast charging and 10W reverse charging support)
• 5G
• MIUI11
• NFC

It is not yet available from an official source in any European shops or online stores.