Xiaomi 16 Series: Straight Screen Return, 3D-Printed Frame Can It Reshape the Flagship Market?

Xiaomi 16 Series: Straight Screen Return, 3D-Printed Frame Can It Reshape the Flagship Market?Since the smartphone market entered a period of technological explosion in 2025, consumer demand for ultimate user experience has steadily increased, driving fierce competition among manufacturers in terms of product form, craftsmanship, and performance. Recently, leaked information about the Xiaomi 16 series has been surfacing, with notable innovations including the return of a straight screen, a 3D-printed metal frame, and an independent button design

Xiaomi 16 Series: Straight Screen Return, 3D-Printed Frame Can It Reshape the Flagship Market?

Since the smartphone market entered a period of technological explosion in 2025, consumer demand for ultimate user experience has steadily increased, driving fierce competition among manufacturers in terms of product form, craftsmanship, and performance. Recently, leaked information about the Xiaomi 16 series has been surfacing, with notable innovations including the return of a straight screen, a 3D-printed metal frame, and an independent button design. These innovations mark a bold attempt by Xiaomi in the high-end market. But can this highly anticipated flagship model reshape the industry landscape with its differentiated technology?

The Return of the Straight Screen: Responding to User Needs, a Key to Differentiated Competition

Since curved screens became standard for flagship phones, consumer demand for straight screens has never ceased. Multiple sources suggest the Xiaomi 16 series will feature straight screens across the entire lineup, breaking the long-standing tradition of Pro versions using curved screens. This change directly addresses user concerns about accidental touches, poor screen protector compatibility, and high repair costs associated with curved screens. Looking back at the history of Xiaomi's numbered series, the standard versions have consistently maintained straight screens (e.g., Xiaomi 13, 14, 15), while Pro versions have used curved screens to enhance visual immersion. However, market feedback indicates that straight screens offer greater practicality in gaming and reading scenarios. In an Android market largely dominated by curved screens, Xiaomi's return to straight screens will be a crucial differentiator and a potential key selling point.

To achieve an exceptional visual experience with a straight screen, the Xiaomi 16 series is expected to adopt LIPO (Low-Ink Print On-cell) screen packaging technology. This technology optimizes the driver chip layout, folding the circuitry to the back of the screen, thereby compressing the bezel width to less than 1mm and achieving a screen-to-body ratio exceeding 95%. Compared to traditional COG/COF technology, LIPO not only reduces physical space occupancy but also lowers screen power consumption, providing further optimization for battery life.

3D-Printed Metal Frame: Innovation in Manufacturing and Cost Optimization

The Xiaomi 16 Pro is expected to be the first to employ BLT (Platinum Rare Technology) 3D printing technology for its metal frame, leading to significant changes in phone frame design. A key feature is the "hollow structure design," which uses additive manufacturing to create complex internal topological structures impossible to achieve with traditional CNC machining. This results in reduced weight, improved heat dissipation, and cost optimization. Unlike traditional CNC subtractive manufacturing (which shapes material by cutting away excess), 3D printing, an additive manufacturing process, builds the structure layer by layer, giving designers greater freedom. This differentiating technology will be a significant highlight of the Xiaomi 16 Pro.

Independent Physical Buttons: Enhanced Functionality and Balanced Basic Experience

The Xiaomi 16 Pro is evaluating the addition of independent physical buttons, a relatively rare selling point in the current smartphone market. Reportedly, this button supports custom functions, such as one-touch activation of the camera, voice assistant, or game mode, similar to the shoulder buttons on gaming phones. Independent buttons are likely to appeal to power users and enhance the user experience. However, adding independent buttons also requires considering space constraints; extra buttons could reduce battery capacity. Therefore, Xiaomi needs to strike a balance between "enhanced functionality" and "basic experience." If independent buttons are only included in the Pro version, it could satisfy the differentiated needs of high-end users while lowering the cost of the standard version.

Core Configuration and Imaging System: Flagship-Level Performance and Leica Support

The Xiaomi 16 series is expected to feature 1.5K/2K resolution screens with a standard 120Hz refresh rate, advanced screen dimming technology, and ultrasonic fingerprint unlocking. Regarding core configuration, it is expected to debut with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 (SM8850) processor, using TSMC's N3P process. Compared to the previous N3E, transistor density is increased by 12%, and energy efficiency is improved by 15%. Battery capacity is expected to start from 6000mAh, with the Pro version potentially reaching over 7000mAh, and supporting 100W wired fast charging. For the imaging system, the Xiaomi 16 series is expected to feature a periscope telephoto lens and Leica imaging technology, further enhancing the user's photography experience.

A Strategy of "Upholding the Classics While Embracing Innovation": Combining Practicality and Technological Breakthroughs

The leaked information on the Xiaomi 16 series reflects two major trends in the mobile phone industry: a return to pragmatism (straight screen design) and the embrace of manufacturing revolution (3D printing). Xiaomi, through a strategy of "upholding the classics while embracing innovation," addresses user needs for basic functions and user experience while demonstrating its ambition in technological research and development. The return of the straight screen satisfies users' desire for a more comfortable and practical mobile phone experience; the application of 3D printing technology represents a significant innovation in mobile phone manufacturing. This strategy, which balances user needs and technological breakthroughs, gives the Xiaomi 16 series strong market competitiveness in the fiercely competitive flagship market and generates high consumer anticipation. Whether the Xiaomi 16 series can reshape the flagship market landscape with its differentiated technology and innovative design remains to be seen.