Xiaomi overtook Apple last year to become the world's third-largest smartphone manufacturer
Xiaomi overtook Apple last year to become the world's third-largest smartphone manufacturer AFP / Nicolas ASFOURI

KEY POINTS

  • A video posted by Tech Buff PH on YouTube supposedly shows two working Mi 11 Ultra handsets
  • The tiny screen on the rear will allow users to take selfies with the main camera sensors
  • The Mi 11 Ultra is endowed with a bigger 5,000 mAh battery that supports 67W charging

Xiaomi's Mi 11, which was released in December last year, was the first-ever Android smartphone to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. And now, it seems a new Mi 11 Ultra is also on the way, featuring another unique functionality.

As the U.S. trade sanctions against Huawei affect sales of its smartphones and tablets, competitors are poised to take advantage of the situation. Xiaomi is one of those companies that continue to push for innovation in the Android handset space. Not all of its concepts make it to production, but Android Central shares what might be proof that the Mi 11 Ultra is real and will hit global retailers soon.

The tech publication points out a video posted by Tech Buff PH on YouTube, which supposedly shows two working Mi 11 Ultra handsets. If this is anything to go by, Xiaomi might be offering the smartphone in black or white colorways. It is interesting to note that the units that were featured on the footage might even be the final production versions, given the devices already had the regulatory information printed on the back.

Aside from some spec upgrades, what notably sets the Mi 11 apart from the Mi 11 Ultra is the revamped camera configuration. While the former houses all its sensors in a square module with rounded edges, the latter model stretches that into a horizontal rectangle. As the video shows, this was done to accommodate a 1-inch AMOLED panel that mirrors the main display.

The YouTuber reveals that the tiny screen will allow users to take selfies with the main camera sensors. XDA-Developers were quick to notice the model number on the back of the purported Mi 11 Ultra. According to their report, the information matches up with a Xiaomi device that was recently certified by the EU’s EEC Cryptographic Device Database and India’s BIS.

As for the rest of the specifications, the Mi 11 Ultra is endowed with a bigger 5,000 mAh battery that supports 67W charging. The smartphone is capable of 4K HDR video recording and night mode. The 6.81-inch OLED touchscreen boasts a 120Hz refresh rate and sits under a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus crystal. Meanwhile, the stereo speakers benefit from Harman/Kardon audio enhancement technology.

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