Leaked Photos Supposedly Show Xiaomi Mi3 and iPad Mini-Sized Xiaomi Tablet

Having sold over seven million Android-based smartphones in 2012, and planning to push that to 15 million this year, many people are watching China’s Xiaomi very closely for their next move. While a new flagship phone, probably dubbed the Xiaomi Mi3 is inevitable this summer, there are also rumors of an Android-based tablet. A Sina Weibo user called ‘PunkPanda’, who often leaks gadgets ahead of their release, claims to have seen the Xiaomi Mi3 and an iPad Mini-sized Xiaomi tablet and has photos to prove it.

While the leaked photos seem to be typical Mr. Blurrycam stuff, they show what looks like Xiaomi-style cheap yet serviceable plastic rear cases for the Xiaomi Mi3 (with a claimed 5.5-inch screen) alongside an unreleased Xiaomi ‘Red Rice’ model with a claimed 4.7-inch screen. Here’s that duo:

More intriguingly, there’s a purported Xiaomi tablet (in black) snapped next to an iPad Mini for scale:

These are the first leaks of the physical Xiaomi hardware. Previous rumors, as my colleague noted yesterday, claim to pin the Xiaomi tablet – a ‘MiPad’? – at RMB 999 ($163) and is supposedly due to launch on August 16.

The current Xiaomi Mi2 phone was unveiled last August, so that month is indeed the startup phone-maker’s annual cycle for launches. When we talked to Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun last fall he said that a tablet wasn’t on his plan/radar – but these things can change.

Xiaomi now sells its phones in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan (the latter two began sales in April this year).

(Hat-tip to GforGames for spotting this)

(Editing by Enricko Lukman and Anh-Minh Do)