Ever since Xiaomi brought out a Lite edition of its flagship model Xiaomi Mi 8, the company has steadfastly struck to its goal of letting users know that a feature-filled smartphone needn't weigh heavy on the wallet. No surprise that the Chinese tech major has indicated a Xiaomi 12 Lite edition even before the flagship launches.
A series of leaks reported by XiaomiUi.net indicates that the direct successor of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is on the cards. The reports indicate that Xiaomi is preparing to get the Xiaomi 12 Lite Zoom edition in China while the Xiaomi Lite 12 debuts across all geographies. There are suggestions of an India-specific variant of the Xiaomi Lite 12.
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Xiaomi 12 Lite - early specifications
The Xiaomi 12 Lite is codenamed "Taoyao" with a definite model number L9. It could be powered by either the Snapdragon 778G or the marginally premium Snapdragon 780G+. It could boast a 6.55-inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate across a resolution of 2400x1080 resolution.
Interestingly, there could well be two versions of the above handset as the IMEI database lists two model numbers against it. These are: 2203129I and 2203129G.
The smartphone could have a triple camera setup at the back with the Samsung ISOCELL GW3 being the primary one. The device is likely to use a wide-angle shooter and a macro lens. The handset would likely come with a fingerprint sensor under the screen. The report doesn't disclose any battery specification.
Xiaomi's Lite experiments
Over the past 12-18 months, Xiaomi has come out with several mid-priced handsets that includes the likes of the Xiaomi Poco F3, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite, the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite, and the Redmi Note 10 Pro among others. Even the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G only represented a small hike in cost over its predecessors.
Xiaomi's premise is to ensure that users get an affordable alternative to the flagship and possibly an ultra luxurious model. We wouldn't be surprised if the company can create a handset that reflect's the Xiaomi 12's rumored designs while improving the specifications of its predecessor and retain the pocket-friendly price tag. Just like it had done with the Xiaomi Mi 11 and the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra and the Lite version.
The Xiaomi Mi 11, which arrived earlier this year, carried the sleek design language of the flagship but with a plastic frame. Its glass posterior did feel classy as did the Snapdragon 780G chipset under the hood, which gave it the flagship speeds of 2020, making it a good buy for gamers.
The device had a 90Hz display that appeared out of place compared to flagships but the AMOLED panel was once again a standout as were the cameras that was led by a 64MP main sensor and an 8MP ultra-wide shooter.
The predecessor to the upcoming Mi 12 Lite was a major move forward from the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite and the Xiaomi Mi 10T in performance, display and design. And we expect the same this time round too from the company, as it seeks to get on the radar of more budget users - essentially the early stage working professionals.
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