Xiaomi Mi 4 unveiled: The Mi 3 successor with a faster processor, improved front-camera

While **Xiaomi's bestselling Mi 3** was swept clean off the store shelves earlier today, the company has launched its latest flagship smartphone in China dubbed **Mi 4** . CEO Lei Jun calls it the fastest Mi phone yet and has also disclosed to have sold 26.11 million phones in the first half of 2014.   In terms of speed, it’s an upgrade to the Mi 3 with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5GHz coupled with 3GB of RAM. However, it retains the same 5-inch full HD display found on the Mi 3 instead of the rumoured 5.5-inch screen size. The only distinguishing factor here is JDI OGS full lamination display, which improves clarity while keeping the screen extremely thin.   On the camera front, it gets a 13-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, both come with Sony’s stacked CMOS sensors. The device will be available in 16GB and 64GB storage options. All of this will be fuelled by a 3080mAh Li-ion battery.       The Mi 4 will run the next iteration of its MIUI version, MIUI 6, which will be launched on August 16.  Just like the Motorola Moto clan, Xiaomi is offering a variety of rear covers including some wooden variants and also a denim one. There is no word on the price and availability of the smartphone.     The company has also taken the leap into wearable tech with its first fitness-focused Mi Band. Just like its smartphones, the band is dirt cheap compared with the ones available on the market, priced at CNY79 (approximately Rs 789). It is available in a plethora of colour options including bright orange, pink and blue. Just like most of fitness bands, it tracks activities such as walking, running and sleeping patterns. Interestingly, it can be used to unlock your smartphone too, probably only Xiaomi phones for now. There is no word on the availability of the band yet.