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Leaked image hints at Xiaomi's next flagship family
A fresh full-frontal leak from prolific tipster Ice Universe appears to show one of Xiaomi's upcoming flagship phones — likely part of the Xiaomi 16 lineup. The image includes a wallpaper exclusive to Xiaomi's HyperOS 3, which strongly suggests it's a device from the Xiaomi 16, Xiaomi 16 Pro or Xiaomi 16 Pro Max range. The trio is expected to ship with Qualcomm's next flagship SoC, the chip currently referred to as Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 (or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5), which Qualcomm plans to unveil later this month.
Product features: what the leak reveals
Display and design
The leaked frontal shot highlights extraordinarily narrow symmetrical bezels and extremely curved screen corners. Sources claim these are the narrowest bezels and most rounded display corners seen on any smartphone to date — even more so than the iPhone 17 Pro. The design language signals Xiaomi is doubling down on immersive displays and refined industrial design.
Software and chipset
The visible wallpaper points to HyperOS 3, Xiaomi's next-generation interface, confirming software continuity across the 16 series. Hardware-wise, the entire lineup is expected to be powered by Qualcomm's upcoming flagship SoC, delivering flagship-level CPU and GPU performance, improved power efficiency, and advanced AI capabilities.
Comparisons and positioning
Xiaomi's naming shuffle mirrors strategies used by rivals: the Xiaomi 16 and 16 Pro will share a compact footprint, with the Pro offering higher-end specs, while the 16 Pro Max serves as a larger-screen alternative. This mirrors recent moves from Apple, Google and vivo to offer "small-form-factor flagship" options alongside larger variants.
Advantages, use cases and market relevance
Advantages: an ultra-immersive display, top-tier SoC performance, and HyperOS 3 optimizations make the lineup attractive to power users, mobile gamers, and content creators. Use cases range from high-frame-rate gaming and on-device AI tasks to professional photo and video editing on the go. Market relevance: with Qualcomm's next-gen chip and a refined design language, Xiaomi aims to compete directly with other premium offerings and capture users seeking a compact flagship experience without compromise.
Final thoughts
While claims about record-breaking bezels and corner curvature are bold, the leaked image certainly supports Xiaomi's push toward sleeker, more immersive hardware. We'll know more once Qualcomm announces its new SoC and Xiaomi officially unveils the 16 series later this month.
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