Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi has been making waves with its impressive 13 range of smartphones, and now the company is gearing up to introduce its much-anticipated Xiaomi 14 series. As South African smartphone enthusiasts eagerly await the arrival of these flagship devices, let’s delve into what we know so far about the Xiaomi 14 series and what they have in store for us.

Release Date

While Xiaomi has not officially announced a release date for the 14 series, the company has followed a consistent launch schedule in recent years. Typically, the new models are unveiled in China towards the end of the year, with global releases following shortly after. Based on the previous launches, we can expect the Xiaomi 14 series to hit the Chinese market in December 2023, with a South African release anticipated around February or March 2024. However, it’s important to note that Xiaomi smartphones are not widely available in the United States.

Price

Although Xiaomi has not disclosed the pricing details for the Xiaomi 14 series, we can estimate the prices based on the previous models and current exchange rates. Using a conversion rate of $1 to R19, let’s take a look at the launch prices of the previous generation:

• Xiaomi 13: R16,211/R18,981
• Xiaomi 13 Pro: R20,981/R24,581
• Xiaomi 13 Lite: R8,531/R9,481
• Xiaomi 13 Ultra: R28,531
• Xiaomi 12: R14,231/R16,131
• Xiaomi 12 Pro: R19,931/R19,931
• Xiaomi 12 Lite: R7,961/R7,541

While we can expect some variation, it’s likely that the Xiaomi 14 series will fall within similar price ranges. South African consumers can anticipate premium features at different price tiers to cater to a range of budgets.

Features

While the Xiaomi 14 series is still in the works, leaks and rumours have begun to shed light on what we can expect from these highly anticipated flagships.

According to reports from GSMArena, the Xiaomi 14 series is rumored to be among the first smartphones to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. This powerful chipset is expected to be unveiled in October at the annual Snapdragon Summit, aligning perfectly with the Xiaomi 14 launch timeline. The rumored configuration includes a Cortex-X4 prime core, 5x Cortex-A720 cores, and 2x Cortex-A520 cores, forming a 1+5+2 architecture. Additionally, an Adreno 750 GPU is expected to provide enhanced graphics performance.

While there haven’t been many rumors regarding the camera setup, it’s likely that the Xiaomi 14 series will retain similar specifications to its predecessor, the Xiaomi 13. The Xiaomi 13 boasts a 50MP f/1.88 main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12MP f/2.2 wide-angle camera, a 10MP f/2.2 telephoto camera, and a 32MP f/2.0 front-facing camera. It’s reasonable to assume that the Xiaomi 14 series will offer similar capabilities with potential enhancements.

One intriguing possibility is the inclusion of the 1-inch sensor that debuted in the Xiaomi 13 Pro. While it may become a standard feature in the Xiaomi 14 and 14 Pro models, it is unlikely to be found in the Lite version.

According to Digital Chat Station, a reliable tipster from China, the Xiaomi 14 is expected to come with a 4860mAh battery and support 90W fast charging. The Xiaomi 14 Pro, on the other hand, is rumoured to sport a larger 5000mAh battery with 120W fast charging capabilities. Both models are expected to offer 50W wireless charging, providing users with convenience and flexibility.