Xiaomi announced the release of the Mi MIX Alpha concept smartphone. Mi MIX Alpha is a result of Xiaomi’s bold imagination for the future of phones in the 5G era.

Mi MIX Alpha showcases an innovative surround screen with a screen-to-body ratio of more than 180.6%. The device features the world’s first 108MP camera and is crafted with a one-of-a-kind combination of titanium alloy, ceramics, and sapphire to make for a revolutionary concept phone.

Xiaomi’s Mi MIX exploration began in 2016 when the company introduced the revolutionary Full Screen Display smartphone concept—an industry first. It was also the Mi MIX that pioneered a smartphone screen ratio exceeding the standard 16:9 aspect ratio. Today, full-screen displays have become the standard configuration of smartphones.

Since its debut, the Mi MIX series has represented innovation at its finest as Xiaomi sought to reimagine the modern-day smartphone. In addition to the Full Screen Display, Mi MIX also embraced cantilever piezoelectric ceramic acoustic technology, ultrasonic proximity sensors, and revolutionary build materials.

Carrying the original Mi MIX exploration spirit, when Mi MIX Alpha lights up – the front, side, and back of the phone are almost entirely displayed. The Surround Display allows Mi MIX Alpha to achieve a screen-to-body ratio that reaches an astonishing 180.6%.

Behind the Surround Display is a series of groundbreaking technologies that require a new method of device assembly. Unlike traditional smartphone assembly methods, Alpha’s internal assembly is first carried out, while its display layer, touch panel, and protection layers are laminated one by one. All display component layers are compiled in that order to achieve high curvature Surround Display design, so the internal stress caused by bending the display layers can be released layer by layer. To achieve a smooth and flat surface, Mi MIX Alpha also uses a durable protective layer that optimizes the screen stack structure.

To accommodate the nearly all-screen offering, the Mi MIX Alpha has minimal bezels on the top and bottom and ditches the physical side buttons altogether. A brand-new display acoustic technology replaces the traditional earpiece receiver and proximity sensor, while the device’s sides are pressure-sensitive and leverage a linear motor to simulate the touch of real buttons.

108MP camera world debut – another milestone for smartphone photography

Mi MIX Alpha features a 108MP camera with the highest resolution, highest pixel count, and the largest sensor found in any smartphone ever, marking another important milestone in smartphone photography.

The main 108MP camera sports a 1/1.33-inch large sensor—389% larger than the 48MP camera. This image sensor is capable of producing 108 MP photos with a resolution of 12032 x 9024 pixels and supports a four-in-one Super Pixel to produce large 1.6μm pixels under low-light conditions. The camera also supports new technologies such as ISOCELL Plus and smart ISO, and is equipped with four-axis optical image stabilization (OIS) to ensure stable videos.

In addition to the 108MP camera, the Mi MIX Alpha also has a 20MP ultra wide-angle camera which supports 1.5 cm super macro photography, and a 12 MP telephoto camera which supports 2x optical zoom and dual PD focus.

Luxurious titanium smartphone with 5G flagship performance

In addition to its innovative Surround Display, Alpha’s top and bottom parts of the frame are built with aerospace-grade titanium alloy. The alloy is three times stronger than stainless steel but weighs less. On its back, the entire protective cover for the camera area uses a single piece of sapphire glass, which is embedded in ceramic.

On the performance front, Mi MIX Alpha uses the same flagship-grade Snapdragon 855+ mobile SoC as the Mi 9 Pro 5G and supports 5G bands of the three major carriers in Mainland China. The device also features the top-tier 12GB+512GB memory and storage combination and supports UFS 3.0. The smartphone is equipped with a 4050mAh battery and comes with a standard 40W wired fast charge.

The mission of the Mi MIX concept smartphone is to make a truly disruptive product without considering costs or mass production. Xiaomi aims to start small-scale production for Mi MIX Alpha at the end of December which retails at RMB 19,999.