The affordable Xiaomi Mi Band 6 features and release date

The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 release date isn’t known, but we can make an educated guess that it’ll be in June if we look at their previous release patterns. But what we don’t know much about is the specification. Still, we can speculate.

Here’s what we think you can expect from the Xiaomi Mi Band 6.

Price and release date

When it comes to the price, we think around $50 is about right. Xiaomi is a budget tracker brand, and they want to stay in this corner of the market. Thought, the Mi Band 6 may be a little more expensive if it comes with onboard GPS and a larger display.

If you’re not so eager and you can’t wait for the next release, you could always check out the Xiaomi Mi Band 5, which is perfect for those on a budget, coming in at well under $50.

We think the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 will be here in time for summer. Typically, new iterations come out in June. Similarly to Apple releasing new Apple Watches like (eh hem) clockwork in September, we think this is an obvious choice for the brand. It’ll be available across Asia first, so if you’re elsewhere, give it a couple of months to reach your region.

Inside the Xiaomi Mi Band 6

Generally, people expected a lot more from the Mi Band 5 because rumour had it that there would be Alexa compatibility and an Sp02 sensor though neither happened.

The Mi Band 5 did offer some advances on its predecessor, though. For example, improved sport modes, better heart rate and sleep monitor accuracy and a couple of decent software upgrades, too.

Following the release of the Mi Band 5, Huami came out with the Amazfit Band 5 and, funnily enough, it not only looked identical but offered these two missing features.

But, we’re sure Xiaomi will have addressed this in the latest version. In fact, it’s all but confirmed already through various leaks.

Battery life

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 battery life lasts around 14 days if you have the NFC version and up to 20 otherwise. We think you’ll see a similar performance on the Mi Band 6.

Design

The Mi Band 5 was a considerable upgrade from the 4. And we can see the budget fitness tracker having a larger screen in the newest iteration, mostly because this is what happened last time. For two consecutive years, Xiaomi has increased the screen size.

Bigger displays are usually always a good thing providing it doesn’t affect the size of the case. Xiaomi found a good balance last time by reducing the bezel size. The screen will still be AMOLED, but the brightness and resolution will be better on the Mi Band 6.

So, we think there will be a bigger display. It does depend on how much more they can shave off that bezel, though. It’s still a fitness tracker, not a smartwatch. Though, the lines are becoming more blurred with every release, lately.

Some good news is that other leaks have suggested that the Mi Band 6 will have improved watch faces, in that they offer higher resolution than currently. If that doesn’t suggest a bigger screen, we’re not sure what does.

The reason the brand may not do this is to keep the cost down. As we said, they want to honour being a budget brand, and a bigger screen impacts the cost of development and is a drain on the battery, which would then need to be assessed, and so it snowballs. Perhaps, if it’s not broken, they don’t need to fix it?

Finally, we think the 50m water-resistance rating won’t change.

Onboard GPS?

Possibly, yes. Leaks suggest that there might be onboard GPS in this version, which is becoming more commonplace on fitness trackers now and benefits all sorts of people who enjoy walking, running, hiking and cycling. Consider reasonably-priced competitor trackers like the Garmin Vivosport 4 and the Fitbit Charge 4, for instance. Though, if this addition does happen, we’re not sure what will happen to the price as GPS has the potential to double the cost.

Currently, you get a 3-axis gyroscope and accelerometer and an optical heart rate sensor. There’s no reason these would be removed from the Mi Band 6, and you may even see some upgrades like an altimeter for tracking how many floors you’ve climbed.

Sensors?

Again, it’s possible there could be an Sp02 or even a thermometer, but these are more advanced health sensors, and suddenly the budget tracker band is looking to compete with more elite watches like the Apple Watch SE.

NFC?

We’re going with a hard maybe on contactless payments. Furthermore, even if we do see this, only those in Asia will likely benefit from it.

More sports modes?

The existing Mi Band 5 offers 19 sport modes, and we’ve read that the 6 will likely provide closer to 30. Great news for people who do HIIT, Zumba, bowling, volleyball and many other sports.