Xiaomi Note challenges the iPhone 6 Plus in form and function

After days of speculation, Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi (the third largest distributor of smartphones in the world, don’t you know), has finally taken the wraps off the Xiaomi Note at a press launch in Beijing. And it brings the fight straight to the giant aluminium doors of Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus.

How, you ask? Well for starters, the Note is a little thinner and a little lighter on the scales, measuring in at 6.95mm and weighing just 161g. The rear camera is also flush, which the company made sure to point out. The iPhone 6 Plus in comparison measures 7.1mm and weighs 172g.

In addition, it has an almost bezel-less front, meaning its 5.7in screen (larger than the 6 Plus’ 5.5in display) shouldn’t feel any more unwieldy than its Apple rival, though we’ll have to wait for a proper hands-on to make a final judgement.

The display packs in a 1080p resolution and is slathered in curved Gorilla Glass 3. Specs-wise, it’s powered by a Snapdragon 801 2.5GHz processor, along with 3GB of RAM, a 13MP rear camera with optical image stabilisation, and a 4MP front-facing camera.

It’ll land in a black and white, from CNY2299 (£244), though there’s no sign of a UK price or release date.

Xiaomi also unveiled the Note Pro, a Snapdragon 810 version of the Xiaomi Note. It’ll come out of the box with 4GB of RAM, LTE-Cat 9 support, and a 2K screen, amongst other features, for CNY3299 (£350).

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