- Xiaomi is preparing to launch the Mi 11 Lite.
- It could ditch 5G connectivity.
- It’s now claimed that the device will be revealed at the global Mi 11 event.
Update: January 13 2021 (2:49 AM ET): It looks like we might not have to wait long for the supposed Mi 11 Lite to launch, as Gizmochina reports that it will launch at the global Mi 11 event (citing an anonymous source).
This wouldn’t be a surprise, as the Mi 10 Lite first debuted at the Mi 10 series global launch, while the Mi 9 Lite debuted in the West as a rebranded Mi CC9. So it stands to reason that we’d see the Lite model first break cover on the global stage.
Original article: January 7 2021 (3:19 AM ET): Xiaomi looks to be prepping a more affordable phone in the Mi 11 series, but unlike its flagship cousin, the new model might not come with 5G connectivity. The phone was recently listed on the FCC website with model number M2101K9AG. Folks over at XDA Developers were able to cross-reference the IMEIs in the filing to reveal that the phone will be called the Mi 11 Lite.
The FCC listing confirms that the Mi 11 Lite will house a 4,150mAh battery with 33W fast charging, MIUI 12, 6GB of RAM, and 64GB/128GB of storage. Other specs are not mentioned, but a Vietnamese YouTuber claims to know that the phone will run on the Snapdragon 732G chipset.
Corroborating this information, XDA reports that the Mi 11 Lite is codenamed “courbet,” and as per a recent leak, it will be based on the Snapdragon SM7150 platform. This means that the device could have either one of the chips — Snapdragon 730, 730G, or 732G — in the series.
It’s also possible that the phone will launch in some markets as a Poco device. A previous leak suggested that “courbet” could actually be the Poco F2. Not surprising since most Poco phones are rebranded or repackaged Xiaomi devices.
What’s strange is that Xiaomi would opt out of 5G for the 2021 Lite model of its flagship given that the Mi 10 Lite from last year is a 5G-capable device with the Snapdragon 765G onboard. However, it’s very much possible that the company has both 4G and 5G versions of the phone this time around.
Elsewhere, the device is rumored to pack a 64MP primary camera, a 16MP selfie shooter, and a 120Hz display. We’d take these specs with a pinch of salt as they don’t come from known sources.