Mix Flip will school Samsung Z Flip 6 on how cover screens are done
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Not only may Xiaomi release the thinnest book-style foldable that will one-up the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but it may take Samsung's crown in the clamshell foldable realm, too, with its first try at one.
The world's third-largest phone maker is preparing to announce a Mix Fold 4 that is less than 10mm thin, barely registering 0.38 inches when in the pocket or purse, despite its top-shelf specs. The star of Xiaomi's foldable show that will take place on Friday, July 19th, however, will be its first clamshell foldable called, surprise, surprise, the Mix Flip.
Mix Flip vs Galaxy Z Flip 6 cover display
Xiaomi's CEO Lei Jun already tipped their ambitions to become the biggest player in clamshell foldable phones, so the Mix Flip will be released in the global market. That's not the only thing it deserves attention for, however, as the listed specs are jaw-dropping and could put the newly announced Galaxy Z Flip 6 to pasture, depending on Xiaomi's execution.
First off, the Mix Flip has a true all-screen external display coverage. The cover screen is the whopping 4.1 inches across, and only the camera lenses stick out of it like twin islands surrounded by a sea of flexible OLED panel.
Moreover, that panel sports Xiaomi's Micro Quad Curved Display technology that seamlessly wraps around to all sides for nearly invisible bezels, so the cover screen really looks to be covering the whole half of the Mix Flip on the teasers.
The phone's processor, camera, and display specs are nothing to sniff at, too. The cover screen with its 4.01-inch diagonal, 1.5K resolution, and 1,600 nits of peak brightness certainly beats Samsung's "all-screen" cover panel, and the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, together with the Leica-branded cameras, only add to the top-shelf street cred.
That's not even mentioning the 20% larger, 4,780 mAh battery with the fastest charging on a clamshell phone.
The camera, typically a weak point of many foldables, especially clamshell ones, has also been given attention on the Mix Flip. Donning Leica Vario-Summilux lenses with 23-47 mm focal length and f/1.7-f/2.0 aperture, it eschews the ultrawide angle lens and jumps directly to telephoto zoom heights, but it remains to be heard what other surprises the Mix Flip camera set will have in store, as the lens openings are seemingly rather large.
Mix Flip would be more practical than Z Flip 6
"Reaching the peak of flip smartphones," waxed poetic Xiaomi's CEO, and explained why. Apparently, the Mix Flip will have "a highly functional flagship outer screen that lets you do more without even flipping it open."
Basically, Lei Jun promises that Xiaomi's first clamshell foldable will be way more functional than what Samsung offers on the Z Flip 6. Xiaomi will seemingly deliver, too, simply by making any app run on the external display, not just a couple of preset defaults like Samsung, or other flip phone manufacturers, save for Moto.
Does anyone know what it's called? Asking for a friend.#XiaomiMIXFlippic.twitter.com/dyriQc0rRt
— Lei Jun (@leijun) July 17, 2024
Makes sense, since Xiaomi is a relative latecomer to this particular market niche that is growing leaps and bounds and has apparently embarked on the same "three-year technological breakthrough" with the Mix Flip that it teased for the Mix Fold 4.
This could be a game changer for the usability of clamshell foldable phones that are increasingly becoming the more popular form factor among bendy handsets. That's not only because they are much cheaper than book-style foldables like the Z Fold 6 or the upcoming Mix Fold 4, but also because of their practicality.
Those with tiny jeans pockets appreciate the ability to simply slap the two halves together and recreate a mini phone that fits. At the same time one can interact with widgets, call, and messaging information with a glance on the cover screen.
Here, the Mix Flip could also have Samsung beat, as Xiaomi teased a full on-screen keyboard for the biggest cover screen on a clamshell foldable, apart from its ability to render your apps.
That should be a sight to behold, and we can't wait for the July 19 unveiling to gauge Samsung's eventual response to this hardware and software onslaught, depending on the price that the Mix Flip is outed at.
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