Xiaomi Mi 6 launching with Snapdragon 821, SD835 variant to debut later

Xiaomi Mi 6 launching with Snapdragon 821, SD835 variant to debut later

Snapdragon 835 shortages force Xiaomi to rethink its strategy with the Mi 6.

It looks like the Snapdragon 835 shortage will continue for at least two more months, as the latest rumor regarding Xiaomi's upcoming Mi 6 flagship suggests the phone will launch with a Snapdragon 821 initially. The Weibo leak says that Xiaomi will launch the model with the Snapdragon 821 first, with the Snapdragon 835 variant making its debut at a later date.

Samsung is said to have used up Qualcomm's initial supply of the Snapdragon 835 for the Galaxy S8, and as a result other manufacturers are sticking to the Snapdragon 821 — like the LG G6 — or delaying the availability of their products, like the Sony Xperia XZ Premium.

As for Xiaomi, it looks like the Chinese manufacturer will position the Snapdragon 821 variant of the Mi 6 as the base model, with the Snapdragon 835 models commanding a premium. The company unveiled its in-house Surge S1 SoC last month, with the Mi 5C the first phone to be powered by the chipset. Xiaomi's efforts in this area are said to be limited to the budget segment for now, and as such the company will continue to use Qualcomm's chipsets in its high-end offerings.

Xiaomi is also likely to roll out a limited edition model of the Mi 6 with a ceramic back, much like what it did last year with the Mi 5. There's no word on a launch date yet, with rumors suggesting the phone could be unveiled on April 6.