Xiaomi MIX Flip 2: A Six-Month Sprint Is a New King of Compact Foldables About to Emerge?

Xiaomi MIX Flip 2: A Six-Month Sprint Is a New King of Compact Foldables About to Emerge?Xiaomi's MIX Flip, a hit compact foldable phone launched on July 19, 2024, quickly captivated consumers, particularly women. Just six months later, rumors of its successor, the MIX Flip 2, are swirling

Xiaomi MIX Flip 2: A Six-Month Sprint Is a New King of Compact Foldables About to Emerge?

Xiaomi's MIX Flip, a hit compact foldable phone launched on July 19, 2024, quickly captivated consumers, particularly women. Just six months later, rumors of its successor, the MIX Flip 2, are swirling. The leak from renowned tech blogger @DigitalChatStation has ignited excitement among industry insiders and netizens alike, sparking intense speculation and comparisons to its predecessor. However, with the MIX Flip's life cycle seemingly far from over, why the rush to release a sequel? The answer might lie in the brewing battle for dominance in the foldable phone market.

IDC data reveals Xiaomi held a mere 1.4% share of the Chinese foldable phone market in Q2 2024, ranking sixth even behind Samsung, categorized as "others." Astonishingly, by Q3, Xiaomi's market share leaped to 17.2%, claiming third place after Huawei and Honor, representing over a tenfold increase! This remarkable growth is largely attributed to the success of the MIX Flip. Its impressive specs, practical 4.01-inch external screen, and superior design captivated women, successfully balancing aesthetics and functionality. Within two months of launch, activations exceeded 200,000 units, and it became the best-selling compact foldable phone on JD.com during Double 11, injecting vitality into Xiaomi's foldable phone business and pointing its future direction focusing on the female consumer market.

However, as Xiaomi's first compact foldable, the MIX Flip had room for improvement in design and specifications, potentially failing to fully satisfy all female consumers. This might explain Xiaomi's eagerness to launch the MIX Flip 2, aiming to refine the design and enhance specifications.

Simultaneously, the release of flagship processors like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and MediaTek Dimensity 9400 is prompting manufacturers to prepare new flagship phones. OPPO executives have confirmed the Find N5 series launch in February, with the Find N5 Flip highly likely. Rumors also abound regarding the Huawei Pocket 3 and Magic V Flip 2. Considering the Pocket 2's February 22, 2024 release, the Pocket 3 could also debut in February.

Following the Lunar New Year holiday, a new round of intense competition among smartphone manufacturers will begin, centered on Ultra flagship and foldable phones. Following each new generation of flagship chip releases, Android manufacturers vie for the first launch to showcase their R&D capabilities, their standing with chip manufacturers, and to gain a market edge. Xiaomi's haste in releasing the MIX Flip 2 might be a strategic move to beat competitors, launch before its rivals, and leverage promotions and price cuts during the 618 shopping festival to further boost foldable phone sales and challenge for the top two spots in the domestic market.

Currently, the exact release date of the MIX Flip 2 remains uncertain, potentially as early as February or later, depending on the company's strategy. For consumers with year-end bonuses, the decision to buy the existing MIX Flip or wait for the MIX Flip 2 is a crucial consideration.

While the MIX Flip achieved significant success, it wasn't without flaws. The lack of IPX8 waterproofing and wireless charging were frequently criticized. While many compact foldables omit wireless charging due to cost and size constraints, Xiaomi, known for its feature-rich approach, faced higher consumer expectations.

Fortunately, the MIX Flip 2 appears to address these shortcomings. According to @DigitalChatStation, the MIX Flip 2 will support IPX8 waterproofing and wireless charging, feature full-function NFC, utilize a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, boast the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, a 6.85-inch 1.5K LTPO main screen, and a larger curved secondary screen. The camera system will be upgraded to a 1/1.5-inch main sensor + 1/2.76-inch ultrawide lens, foregoing the telephoto lens.

Compared to the MIX Flip, the MIX Flip 2's key upgrades include IPX8 waterproofing, wireless charging, full-function NFC, and a processor upgrade. The minimal screen size difference is likely within the margin of error. The hardware upgrades will enhance user experience, while retaining the side-mounted fingerprint sensor offers convenience for unlocking while the phone is closed. However, the decision to replace the telephoto lens with an ultrawide lens warrants discussion.

We believe the MIX Flip 2's adoption of an ultrawide lens instead of a telephoto lens is aimed at improving the selfie experience for female users. A 47mm telephoto lens offers limited magnification and practical use, while AI-powered cropping and image optimization can potentially produce high-quality telephoto images from the large main sensor, rivaling those from smaller 2x optical zoom telephoto lenses. Additionally, female users prioritize selfies, and the ultrawide lens accommodates more people, optimizes spatial distribution, and enhances depth of field, thereby improving selfie quality. The MIX Flip 2's large external screen coupled with the ultrawide lens could become a new selfie powerhouse for women.

Beyond hardware upgrades, the MIX Flip 2s AI features are also highly anticipated. Xiaomi's new Surge OS 2 integrates AI technology at the core, offering improvements in smoothness, animation effects, and features like intelligent summarization, AI painting, and intelligent error correction. This flagship hardware and AI integration emboldens Xiaomi to declare, "The MIX Flip is no mere pretty, useless thing." Xiaomi's continued investment in AI will further refine the user experience. The MIX Flip 2's large external screen, combined with AI functions, will unlock further potential, possibly enabling everyday use without unfolding the screen.

If the MIX Flip 2 maintains the same price as its predecessor, the comprehensive hardware upgrades would make it a more compelling purchase. Consumers not needing an immediate upgrade should consider waiting for the MIX Flip 2. The MIX Flip 2 will also significantly boost Xiaomi's foldable phone business, propelling it into the compact foldable era.

The era of "value-for-money" compact foldable phones is dawning. From Huawei's independent Pocket series to the launch of Xiaomi's MIX Flip, and the emergence of relatively affordable options like the nova Flip and Magic V Flip, manufacturers are increasingly focusing on the compact foldable market. While size and cost constraints limit their specifications compared to similarly priced straight-screen phones, their refined designs and unique external screen features surpass traditional straight-screen phones. Compact foldables also offer a significant price advantage over large foldables, with many models available from $4000-$6000, some even around $2000.

With their refined aesthetics, affordable prices, and convenient external screens, compact foldables have boundless potential, particularly appealing to women who prioritize aesthetics and selfies. Compact foldables enabling rear-camera selfies hold a competitive edge. The future market size of compact foldables targeting women will rival that of large foldables.

Following its hardware upgrades, the MIX Flip 2's main drawbacks compared to flagship straight-screen phones are only the telephoto camera and battery life. However, the launch of phones with around 6000mAh batteries by various manufacturers in late 2024 demonstrates that battery technology advancements are addressing the battery life issue for compact foldables. Progress in AI-powered telephoto technology will also help mitigate the shortcomings in telephoto capabilities.

Major manufacturers are refining compact foldables through technological iteration and upgrades, while competition will drive enhanced features and price reductions. Within two months, the first wave of compact foldables will launch, including the Huawei Pocket 3, Xiaomi MIX Flip 2, and Honor Magic V Flip 2. The Huawei Pocket 3 will support optical zoom, boast high-end specifications, and likely start around $7000. The MIX Flip 2 and OPPO Find N5 Flip will have similar positioning, with an estimated starting price of $6000. The Honor Magic V Flip 2 will be positioned lower, with an expected starting price of $5000. Following their release, consumers can choose based on their needs and budget.

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