Xiaomi Mi 8 Special Edition details emerge ahead of launch on May 31

Xiaomi’s flagship smartphone Mi 8 could be accompanied by a ‘Special Edition’.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Special Edition to be launched along with Mi 8, MIUI 10 and Mi Band 3 tomorrow (AFP)

Xiaomi is expected to make some major announcements at its event in China tomorrow. According to reports, the company is expected to unveil the flagship smartphone Mi 8 along with Mi Band 3 and a new custom ROM MIUI 10. With only a day left for the event, a new report suggests another product launch at the event tomorrow.

GSMArena has spotted a Xiaomi coupon priced CNY 50 ( ₹600 approximately) which mentions Xiaomi Mi 8 SE. This coupon, along with a few more is believed to be handed out to some buyers by Xiaomi for purchasing its products. An alleged retail sticker of the Mi 8 SE has also surfaced online revealing some specifications of the smartphone.

The sticker takes the shape of the display of the Mi 8 SE smartphone. Design wise, it has a notch cutout on top which is rumored to be the same on the Mi 8 as well. The sticker further reveals details like a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor and dual 20-megapixel AI cameras for the Mi 8 SE.

In comparison, Xiaomi Mi 8 is expected to feature a 20-megapixel dual-camera setup, and run Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor under its hood. The 'Special Edition' Mi 8 could be a stripped down version of the flagship smartphone.

Xiaomi Mi 8
Speaking about the highlight of the event, Xiaomi Mi 8 will succeed the Mi 6 launched last year. Xiaomi skipped one generation using the moniker '8', possibly celebrating the eighth anniversary of the company which will be celebrated tomorrow. In terms of specifications, Xiaomi Mi 8 is expected to feature a 5.65-inch full HD+ display with an aspect ratio of 19:9.

The smartphone could offer variants with 6GB and 8GB of RAM, and storage of 64GB going up to 256GB. It is expected to sport a 16-megapixel front camera with f/2.0 aperture. Mi 8 is also said to come with facial recognition which will be at par with Apple iPhone X's Face ID. The smartphone will also offer animojis similar to Apple iPhone X's but cuter. More expected features include a 4,000mAh battery, MIUI 10 based on Android 8.0 Oreo, and wireless charging.

Mi Band 3
Xiaomi's upcoming fitness tracker, Mi Band 3 was spotted on a product listing with its price revealed. According to the listing which is now deleted, Mi Band 3 will carry a price tag of CNY 169 which rounds off to ₹1,800 roughly. Based on speculations and leaks, Mi Band 3 is expected to feature a touchscreen display and a rounder screen in comparison to the Mi Band 2. The fitness tracker could also feature gestures like a long press, swipes for various tasks.

MIUI 10
Xiaomi will announce the new version of its custom UI which is based on Android OS. MIUI 10 will possibly be based on Android 8.0 Oreo, and is expected to debut on Mi 8. Leaked images of MIUI 10 show a revamped UI somewhat similar to Android P. The colour scheme is minimal with white and blue tones, and Android P-like volume controls. There's also a new layout of two app cards displaying together vertically.