Ahead of MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2023 in Barcelona, Xiaomi is gearing up to launch its Xiaomi 13 series flagship globally soon. With a promised Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and Leica-developed lenses for its camera, they will hold a live stream launch event on Xiaomi's official website and social media accounts a day before MWC, which is on 26 February 2023.
Although it's anticipated that the global launch of Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro will be revealed later at the event, reports are circulating that Xiaomi is looking to introduce another smartphone as well; the Xiaomi 13 Lite.
The Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro smartphones were first launched in China back in December, and they feature specs like a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, 12GB RAM and 512GB of storage onboard, QHD+ 120Hz OLED display, triple camera system with Leica lenses, and a centred punch hole for the 32MP selfie camera.
According to a tipster on Twitter, The Xiaomi 13 Lite could be launched in the coming weeks and reports say that it will be a rebranded version of the Xiaomi Civi 2, an exclusive China-only mid-range smartphone that was released last October. It retails at ¥2,399 (around RM1,500).
The tipster shared an unboxing video which allegedly features the Xiaomi 13 Lite smartphone and provided accessories.
Credits: @Sudhanshu1414 on Twitter
Based on the video, the unboxed smartphone looks exactly like the Xiaomi Civi 2, and should the rumours be true, the Xiaomi 13 Lite could carry the same specs as well.
The key specifications of the Xiaomi 13 Lite were also revealed by the tipster. The specs could include a 6.55-inch 120Hz FHD display, a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip, a 50MP (IMX 766 sensor) + 20MP + 2MP (macro) triple-camera system, and a 4,500mAh battery with 67W charging. These are the exact same specs as the Xiaomi Civi 2, but it comes as no surprise as Xiaomi is known for its rebranding move across operated countries and regions.
There's little to know about the Xiaomi Civi 2 as it was released in China only, but what it's most known for is the built-in two 32MP selfie shooters in a distinct pill-shaped housing on the phone’s display which definitely draws inspiration from iPhone's Dynamic Island. The official Xiaomi software doesn't provide this housing with the same transformative capabilities as the iPhone, but there are third-party and Google Play Store apps that can do the job.
What we do know for sure is that the Xiaomi 13 series smartphones will only be launched globally this 26 February 2023. Whether or not Xiaomi will also reveal the reported Xiaomi 13 Lite is still unknown, but we're looking at another mid-range smartphone that will be in the market soon and will surely entice some people.
