Acclaimed French designer Philippe Starck has created a sleek new smartphone for Xiaomi, a Chinese company dedicated to “making quality technology accessible to everyone.” The new model, Mi Mix, features an expansive, edge-to-edge screen and numerous forward-thinking specs, fusing artistic design with state-of-the-art technology.
Mi Mix made its surprise debut at the launch event for another new Xiaomi device, Mi Note 2, in Beijing on October 25. Initially introduced as a “concept phone,” the 6.25-inch-long Mi Mix was praised for its multiple modern capabilities—a dual SIM, ample storage space, a sizable, quick-to-charge battery (you can reach 83% in just 30 minutes), and comprehensive camera features (geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama) are just a handful of its exciting elements. Though impressive, these specifications took the backseat to Mi Mix’s most applauded and defining component: its super-sized, border-free screen.
Covering an unprecedented 91% of the phone’s forward-facing surface, the high-resolution (1080 x 2040 pixels) display appears to flow over the edges of the phone, resulting in a clean, bezel-free aesthetic. Starck opted for this innovative design as a way to streamline the look of the product and rid phones of their clunky frames. “Less is more and God is in the details,” he stated in a video. “We don't want pollution, we just want the image.” Bright, bold, and seemingly edgeless, the screen elevates Mi Mix to the next level of smartphone.
Though the sleek look and modern feel of the phone is characteristic of Starck, the technological aspect of it is not. In addition to being known predominantly for his interior, industrial, and architectural design, Starck, ironically, has spoken out against “screen culture” in the past. “I don't want to look archaic, but you have to feel things, you have to live them,” the French designer told Dezeen. “On the screen you don't feel it. You read it, you see it but you don't feel it. It's superficial.” Since then, however, Starck has joined social media, and appears to be embracing the artistic potential of new technologies, as evident in his inspired and innovative Mi Mix design.
Mi Mix hits the shelves (for now, only in China) on November 4, 2016.
Image credit: @starck
Philippe Stark: Website | Facebook | Instagram
via [Dezeen, Engadget]
All images via Xiaomi unless otherwise stated.
