Xiaomi's Mi 8 to come with a new unlocking method; could feature a 3D facial recognition system- Technology News, Firstpost

tech2 News StaffMay 25, 2018 16:47:26 IST

Inching closer to the 31 May date, Xiaomi put out yet another teaser today to remind fans that were are only six days away from its 8th-anniversary event where we expect the company to launch the Mi 8 and MIUI 10.

Xiaomi Mi 8 3D Face-Recognition teaser. Image: Weibo

Taking to its official Weibo account, Xiaomi's latest teaser image drops yet another hint about the Mi 8, which is being deciphered as a new unlocking method that the phone will come with. According to a report by GizmoChina, the only thing unclear here is what exactly is Xiaomi referring to. While some think Xiaomi is referring to a 3D facial recognition system, others suggest that it could be the use of an in-fingerprint scanner.

Previous leaks of the phone are also keeping us in a tizzy as we have had a report which suggests that the Mi 8 will feature an in-display fingerprint scanner, while another report by GizmoChina points towards a 3D face-scanning system which resembles Apple's Face ID.

An image shared on Weibo which apparently shows the insides of Mi 8's notch also seems to reveal that Xiaomi may have come up with a 3D facial recognition system. As seen it the image, Xiaomi's facial recognition technology is identical to how it works the iPhone X, complete with a front camera, earpiece, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, an infrared lens, a flood illuminator and a dot projector.

Xiaomi Mi 8 teaser. Image: GizmoChina

We might have to wait and watch out for what happens on 31 May, but if the Mi 8 does come with a 3D facial unlocking feature, it would become the first Android smartphone to do so.

As far as leaks go, the Mi 8 is expected to arrive in two variants — 6 GB RAM and 64 GB storage variant which will be likely priced at CNY 2,799 (approximately Rs 30,000) and another variant with 8 GB RAM and 128 storage, priced at CNY 3,199 (approximately Rs 34,000). The phone is also expected to come with a Snapdragon 845 chipset, a 20 MP f/1.7 + 16 MP f/2.0 dual-camera setup as well as a 16 MP f/2.0 shooter for selfies.