As February draws nearer, the excitement for the impending Mobile Word Congress (MWC) is palpable. Several major OEMs like Samsung, LG, HTC, Huawei, and Sony have press events scheduled and are expected to announce new mobile devices.
However, it seems that China-based smartphone maker Xiaomi will not be a part of this elitist bandwagon and will reportedly be skipping the MWC 2017 this year.
The news came straight from the horse's mouth, as the company spokesperson affirmed to TechCrunch that Xiaomi is actually giving the trade show a miss.
"Samsung isn't the only major phone maker who won't be announcing a new device at Mobile World Congress, the telecom industry's largest event, next month. China's Xiaomi will skip the event entirely, a spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch," shared the publication.
The spokesperson did not elaborate why Xiaomi was bypassing MWC 2017. The company has been a regular fixture at the trade show in recent years and showed off its Mi 5 smartphone at the MWC 2016.
Speculations were rife that Xiaomi would also be in attendance at this year's event and would likely introduce the widely rumored Mi 6. The Xiaomi Mi 6 has leaked online on several occasions and also been spotted on benchmarking websites.
News of Xiaomi missing the MWC 2017 will leave many fans disappointed, as this suggests that the company has alternate plans for the alleged Mi 6.
Why Xiaomi Will Not Show Up At The MWC 2017?
The unexpected decision from the company could possibly be a result of Xiaomi's VP Hugo Barra announcing his departure. Barra will be joining Facebook to lead its Oculus VR efforts.
His exit from Xiaomi may have left the company in turmoil and possibly prompted the decision to skip MWC this year.
A more plausible explanation for Xiaomi being a no-show at MWC 2017 could be the delay in launch for the Mi 6. The company's Mi 5s Plus and Mi Note 2 are relatively new and the company could wait a while before it launches the new flagship.
Moreover, the Xiaomi Mi 6, which is also expected to house the latest Snapdragon 835 processor, could be delayed because of a possible shortage of the chipset's supply — thanks to Samsung hoarding them for its Galaxy S8. Unlike LG, which is reportedly looking to equip the LG G6 with the older Snapdragon 861 processor due to supply issues, Xiaomi may just not want to use the older processor on the Mi 6 and, therefore, has chosen to delay the device's launch.
When Will Xiaomi Mi 6 Debut?
Previous assertions have suggested that the Mi 6 will hit the shelves in March this year. However, the Xiaomi Mi 6's debut is hinged on the availability of the Snapdragon 835 processor and consumers may have to wait a little longer.
Photo: Jon Russell | Flickr
