Xiaomi Mi 5 render surfaces, comes with rumored January 21st unveiling date

We are getting closer to the unveiling of the Xiaomi Mi 5. A new render of the device just discovered on Weibo reveals a first for Xiaomi, a physical home button. And that actually ties in with the latest rumor from analyst Pan Jiutang. Back in October, we passed along speculation that the phone would be the first to employ Qualcomm's ultrasound fingerprint scanner. According to Jiutang, it appears that this might not be the case, which explains the home button.

You see, unlike traditional fingerprint scanners, those of the ultrasonic variety don't require sensors or buttons. In fact, an ultrasonic scanner can be embedded under a phone's screen. According to Jiutang, Xiaomi has found that Qualcomm's fingerprint scanner is not reliable or stable yet. Which is too bad, because an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is not impacted by dirt or other foreign particles that can prevent a traditional unit from working correctly. Since a more traditional print reader will be used, Xiaomi will most likely embed it under the home button, explaining its appearance on the render.

Along with the render comes another piece of information. The Xiaomi Mi 5 is rumored to be unveiled on January 21st, with the actual launch taking place sometime during the following month. We expect the phone will be equipped with a 5.2-inch display, powered by the Snapdragon 820 SoC. The screen will offer a version of Force Touch, and Android 6.0 is expected to be pre-installed. According to the Weibo posting, there will be two versions of the phone. One will be priced at the equivalent of $311 USD, while the other model will cost $389 USD.


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source: Weibo via GizmoChina (1), (2)