Xiaomi Mi5 release, specs rumors: handset to feature Snapdragon 820?

Xiaomi Mi 4iXiaomi website

It seems that Xiaomi hopes to topple the competition by upping their game via their next flagship projects, the Mi5 and Mi5 Pro. Most of the rumors surrounding these two devices center around their specifications, with the latest reports suggesting that they will be sporting some cutting-edge tech, particularly in their processing power.

According to the reports, Xiaomi is intending to use the newest processor from tech giant Qualcomm, and is particularly interested in the Snapdragon 820 chipset. This will give the Xiaomi Mi5 a good advantage over its competitors, since most flagship releases this year house the Snapdragon 810 processor, or its proprietary equivalent such as Samsung's Exynos chipset. 

In addition to using a next-gen processor under the hood for its upcoming flagship products, Xiaomi is also reported to be gunning for either a late-year release or an early-next-year launch for its Mi5 and Mi5 Pro smartphones. Some sources even say that if the new Snapdragon processors arrive in the middle of this year, Xiaomi may officially announce the said devices in November and target either a January or February 2016 launch. However, it is unclear if Xiaomi will be targeting a global launch for its upcoming line-up, or if the company will do what other China-based tech manufacturers like Huawei and ZTE are doing — a U.S. release. 

Aside from the rumored new Snapdragon processor, the Mi5 is also reported to ramp up its other specs. Other features of the upcoming smartphone include a 5.2-inch Quad HD display, 3 GB of RAM, a 16 MP camera, and a 3,000 mAh battery. Meanwhile, the Mi5 Pro will supposedly launch with a larger 6-inch Quad HD display, 4 GB of RAM and a 20 MP camera.