Snapdragon 845-powered Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S set for a release on Mar. 27

Xiaomi's first Snapdragon 845-powered phone will usher in a host of new features.

Back at the launch of the Snapdragon 845, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said that the Chinese manufacturer will be one of the first to release a device powered by Qualcomm's latest platform. And while it was assumed that the phone would make its debut at Mobile World Congress, it doesn't look like that will be the case. According to a recent tweet by Xiaomi global spokesperson Donovan Sung, Xiaomi's first Snapdragon 845 phone will be the Mi Mix 2S, which will be released on March 27:

Mi MIX 2S will use the next generation flagship processor Snapdragon 845. Launching on March 27th! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XoOdmmcDO2

— Donovan Sung (@donovansung) February 25, 2018

Sung's tweet also had a reference to the upcoming phone's AnTuTu score, which at 273,741 is significantly higher than the 206,783 managed by the standard Mi Mix 2 last year. Xiaomi has relied on AnTuTu scores to highlight the performance of its devices for some time now, and while synthetic benchmarks aren't an indicator for real-world performance, Xiaomi's fans swear by them.

The Mi Mix 2S won't be the first phone to launch with the Snapdragon 845 — that distinction goes to the Galaxy S9 and S9+ — but it could be the first to do so in Asian markets, where Samsung sells the Exynos variant instead. It's interesting that Xiaomi is rolling out a refreshed variant of the Mi Mix 2 and not the Mi 7 next month. Traditionally, the flagship Mi series was the first to feature the latest Qualcomm hardware, but with the phone rumored to usher in a complete visual overhaul, Xiaomi is likely pushing back the launch a few months.

The Mi Mix 2S could be the first Xiaomi phone with an in-display fingerprint sensor.

As for the device itself, the Mi Mix 2S is rumored to feature ultra-thin bezels, much like the first-gen Mi Mix and the Mi Mix 2. That said, we could be seeing a subtle change in the design up front, with the phone offering the camera module in the top right corner. The position of the camera sensor on the bottom bar was a major drawback on the Mi Mix and Mix 2 as the angle wasn't ideal for taking selfies, and it looks like Xiaomi is set to rectify the issue with the Mi Mix 2S.

Furthermore, the Mi Mix 2S is rumored to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor, as well as a dual rear camera configuration with two 12MP sensors. It's no secret that camera quality is a key priority for Xiaomi this year — as we've seen on the Redmi Note 5 Pro — and it looks like the Mi Mix 2S will continue that trend.

With the launch slated for March 27, we should know more about the Mi Mix 2S in the coming weeks. With the Mi Mix 2 garnering a lot of attention in India, it's possible the Mi Mix 2S will also make its way to the subcontinent, as well as other Asian markets. What are you looking forward to seeing from the Mi Mix 2S?