Xiaomi announces Mi 9 worldwide release date and price

After launching its Mi 9 flagship smartphone in China a week prior, Xiaomi has announced the device for worldwide markets at its press conference at MWC in Barcelona.

The Mi 9 device, succeeding the Mi 8, has some pretty impressive features, including its powerful cameras, but it remains to be seen if the Mi 9 will help Xiaomi achieve its goal of finally breaking into Western markets.

Follow all the latest announcements of MWC 2019
The Samsung Galaxy S10 runs on the same chipset
What do you need to know about 5G phones?

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the Mi 9 is its tri-lens rear setup, which consists of a 48MP main camera, 16MP ultra-wide and 12MP telephoto lens. These are joined by a 20MP selfie-cam, which seems surprisingly powerful for a front-facing snapper.

One novelty of the device is its curved back, as opposed to most handsets which have flat backs, which provides a unique feel as well as better protection for the phone. It is a rather dainty device, weighting in at 173g and with a thickness of only 7.61mm, so perhaps this protection is justified.

The device's 3,300mAh battery is nothing particularly special, but its 20W wireless charging seems rather useful, particularly given that most devices have 15W wireless charging as standard currently.

The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset, a cutting-edge processor that also powers the Samsung Galaxy S10 series. The device also features Game Turbo mode, which when activated boosts performance and framerate while playing mobile games.

The Mi 9 will launch in three colors - 'Ocean Blue', 'Lavender Violet' (which looks red to us) and 'Piano Black'. The curved rear of the device causes a rainbox effect, according to Xiaomi, giving it a funky look.

We don't currently know the release date or price of the device but will update this page when we do.

MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest showcase for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting live from Barcelona all week to bring you the very latest from the show floor. Head to our dedicated MWC 2019 hub to see all the new releases, along with TechRadar's world-class analysis and buying advice about your next phone.