Xiaomi's latest flagship smartphone the Xiaomi Mi 4i has been announced globally and officially here in Malaysia though it will only be available on 28 May 2015 (this Thursday) for RM749. While it packs in similar tech specs with the Mi 4, the Mi 4i goes for a plastic back which is currently only available in white, but more colours are also available. Stand out features include a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, 5-inch full HD display with Sunlight Display tech for outdoor viewing, 4G LTE connectivity and a large 3120 mAh battery. Other tech specs include 2GB RAM, 16GB storage (no microSD slot), a 13MP f/2.0 rear camera with 5-element lens, 5MP f/1.8 front camera with wide angle lens and dual SIM support. Xiaomi Malaysia will offer the Mi 4i at RM749 on 28 May 2015 from 12PM in conjunction with their 1st Anniversary celebrations which will also include priority sales for loyal fans, various accessory bundles, discount vouchers and more.

After previously announcing the Xiaomi Mi 4i smartphone globally, Malaysia is set to be one of the first countries to get it. This comes direct from Xiaomi Malaysia as the invites have already been sent out for 21 May 2015 or Thursday this week. While we'll be there first hand, the tech specs include a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, 5-inch full HD display, 13MP rear camera and new 3120 mAh battery. No news yet on Malaysia pricing but initial pricing in India started at 12999 Indian Rupees (RM730). Stay tuned for more developments.

Xiaomi have officially announced their Mi 4i flagship smartphone, looking not unlike their original Mi 4, except that the metal frame has been replaced by an all plastic but definitely more colourful polycarbonate backside. It does update the processor to a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor (that supports 4G LTE) but the most notable feature could be the 3120 mAh battery which uses  4.4V 700Kh/L Polymer Cell technology to squeeze this capability into a smartphone of this size. At 7.8mm thin and 130g, the Mi 4i is quite compact and lightweight still with a 5-inch display featuring a 1920 x 1080 full HD pixel resolution. The Mi 4i packs in 2GB of RAM and 16GB storage along with 13MP rear camera (f/2.0 lens, dual tone flash) and 5MP front camera (f/1.8 lens). Granted, the metal frame may be missed somewhat but these tech specs are all going for just 12999 Indian Rupees (RM746) which is quite respectable indeed. No exact Malaysia release date yet but it is expected to come here to Malaysia sometime in May 2015.

Xiaomi marked its fifth year in the business by expanding its reach in India. It rolled-out attractive deals and extended its products to numerous business platforms in the country. Not long after that Xiaomi made news again, this time through a twitter post e-invite with the tagline “i is coming”, hinting at its latest smartphone. While we're not sure how it is named yet the premiere of the latest global Xiaomi Mi 4i will take place in New Delhi on 23 April 2015. According to its official website, the company’s CEO and founder Lei Jun, president and co-founder Bin Lin and vice president of Xiaomi global, Hugo Barra will participate in the premiere. The selection of New Delhi as its premiere site reiterates India’s importance to Xiaomi in its future growth. Registration for the event can be made on its website. No word is out yet on launch dates, including Malaysia release dates and Malaysia pricing but some tech specs have been revealed via GFXbench where the new Mi 4i could come with a 1.6Ghz hexa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, 4.9-inch display with full HD resolution, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, dual SIM and 4G LTE connectivity with Android 5.0.2 and MIUI 6.