Xiaomi will announce the Mi 9 on the same day as the Samsung Galaxy S10

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Xiaomi is well known as a leader in the entry-level and mid-range segment of smartphones. But, with recent products like the Mi MIX series as well as the Mi 8 (including the Explorer Edition with the transparent back), Xiaomi has been inching closer to the textbook definition of “premium.” Its Mi MIX 3 with a sliding mechanism is a classic example of this phenomenon.

The Chinese giant is now set to unveil yet another flagship – the Mi 9, which it is claiming to be the best-looking Xiaomi smartphone so far. Xiaomi officially confirmed that the launch will take place on February 20. Curiously, that’s the same date as Samsung’s Unpacked 2019 event, where Samsung will be launching its headliner Galaxy S10 series.

Based on the event teaser shared by Samsung recently, we might also get a chance to see the foldable Galaxy F. So, by choosing the same launch date for its flagships as Samsung’s, Xiaomi might have risen up to a challenge, even dividing fans to choose between the two brands, especially in Asia.

The two events, however, will be taking place at separate locations. While the Mi 9 will be launching in China, Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Unpacked event will be held in San Francisco, California, adding a 16-hour time difference. This could, hopefully, reduce some confusion.

Since the Mi 9 launch announcement comes after Samsung had already confirmed its event, this is clearly not an error or a miscalculation. Furthermore, Xiaomi’s choice of codename for the Mi 9, which can be translated to “Battle Angel”, suggests that the Chinese giant is prepped up for a fierce battle.

There is currently no information on Xiaomi launching the Mi 9 in markets other than China, which is likely to be the most vital battleground between the two flagship series. While Samsung is among the most influential foreign brands in the country, it ranks seventh in terms of smartphones shipments. Xiaomi, on the other hand, comes in at the fourth position.

Coming back to the Mi 9, based on previous leaks, we learned that the Xiaomi flagship could feature a triple camera setup on the back. This has been confirmed by a new teaser published by the company, as shown above. The device can also be expected to sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 mobile platform and possibly an under-display fingerprint scanner. A few weeks ago, Xiaomi co-founder Lin Bin also hinted at the possibility of a Mi 9 with a translucent back, perhaps the Explorer Edition.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S10 series, including the S10+ and the relatively affordable S10e, have been routinely leaked. The most recent leak reveals the complete camera specifications and features of the three smartphones. Meanwhile, earlier speculations and tips have contributed information including different colors, up to 12GB RAM, an inbuilt cryptocurrency wallet, and even the truly wireless Galaxy Buds which will be launching alongside the flagships.

While February 20 is not too far, we’ll keep you updated with whatever comes our way ahead of the launches of the two leading smartphone series from Xiaomi and Samsung.