Xiaomi Mi 5s release date, specs rumors: New step-up iteration surfaces on AnTuTu, launch imminent?

The Xiaomi Mi 5 lineup. A new iteration, the Mi 5s, is reportedly launching soon.Xiaomi MiUI website

It is said that Xiaomi will be launching a new iteration under the Mi 5 lineup soon, as specs for the Mi 5s is seen on benchmark websites.

The latest AnTuTu benchmark listing is the most recent of supposed leaks for the Xiaomi Mi 5s, leading to rumors that the new iteration is bound to come out soon. According to the listing, the new Mi 5s will serve as a step-up, more premium version of the lineup. It will feature the new Snapdragon 821 chipset, which will be paired with 6 GB of RAM. As a premium device, there are also rumors that Xiaomi will feature up to 256 GB of onboard storage for the upcoming flagship.

Meanwhile, the rest of the specs include a similar 5.15-inch display with full HD resolution, and speculations suggest that it may feature 3D Touch-like options due to a pressure-sensitive screen. In addition, it is already expected that the Mi 5s will have an upgraded version for its camera setup, a much-improved version of the main camera and selfie shooter from the base model Mi 5. It is unclear, however, if it will retain the same megapixel counts for its cameras.

However, even if the Xiaomi Mi 5s will be a late 2016 release, it will still come out with the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow right out of the box, layered with the tech maker's own MiUI platform.

Another rumor that makes the Mi 5s a much-improved version for the lineup is a new Qualcomm scanner. According to Phone Arena, news out of China suggested that the Mi 5s will feature the new Sense ID ultrasonic fingerprint technology. This means that the fingerprint scanner for the new Mi 5s may even be incorporated into the display itself, since the new Qualcomm tech makes the Sense ID scanner work through a number of different surfaces, including glass.