Xiaomi knows how to push boundaries. Especially for a company that has been called out several times over the years for blatantly copying Apple. But we can't take away the fact that the company has championed things like drastically reduced bezels and even pop-out cameras. It's a company that's trying to differentiate itself these days, and that's a good thing.
Especially when it's swinging for the fences with something like the Mi Mix Alpha.
Have you seen this thing!? I mean, seen it? It's ridiculous. It's one of those phones that, even though it looks striking in the photos already, I'm sure it looks even better in person. Something to make you go, "Whoa," that first time you take it out of the box. Then again, with this wild of a design, you might say that a lot more than just once.
And for $2,800 you would hope that would be the case. It's crazy to think that just a couple of years ago now we were wondering if the "$1,000 smartphone" was something people would gravitate towards, or even accept. Turns out it was, so now we've got concept devices, and "premium handsets" that are now $2,000 or, in some cases, even closer to $3,000.
The difference of course is that Xiaomi doesn't see the new Mi Mix Alpha has a device for everyone, like Samsung does its Galaxy Note 10 lineup, or Apple with its high-end iPhone 11 Pro models. The Mi Mix Alpha will be in short supply, and the company knows people will have to be very, very careful with it.
But honestly, all that aside, I just want to marvel with you about the design. Because it's crazy. It takes the idea of a curved edge and stretches it out as much as possible. Some might say the phone would be better if it unfolded into a tablet, like foldable phones we've seen from Samsung and Huawei, but Xiaomi is definitely going for something else here. Something to stand apart from even thosetrendsetting handsets.
Whether or not Xiaomi will succeed in this effort remains to be seen. Even someone like me, who thinks the handset looks awesome (have you seen the charging animation? It's good stuff.), doesn't necessarily want one. I'd be worried about accidental touch registry on the display, especially on the side I'm not using -- even if the phone is designed to shut down the display that's not being used to avoid this very thing.
Plus, it's super expensive and you can't take that out of the equation. Super expensive, probably plenty fragile, and what kind of case are you putting on that thing? Do you even put a case on it? Why would you other than pure obligation?
Anyway, I want to know what you think of Xiaomi's Mi Mix Alpha. Would you buy this phone if given the opportunity? Are you hoping this specific design gets picked up by other manufacturers? Or do you want to see more foldable phones? Let me know!
