Do you know which device has been the top-selling foldable for the last three years? Some of you might be surprised to learn that it is the clamshell Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Flip 4, and Galaxy Z Flip 5. All three fold around the horizontal axis. Surprised? You might be because most would expect a phone that turns into a tablet to be more useful than a device that can fit in a pocket only to open to become a regular smartphone.When the average John Doe thinks of a foldable, he is more likely to visualize the book-style type device similar to the Galaxy Z Fold models which open and close around a vertical axis. Almost every firm with a book-style foldable also have a clamshell model. Besides Samsung there is Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and soon, Xiaomi. Leaker Digital Chat Station (via NotebookCheck.net) discovered an interesting variant of the Xiaomi Mix Flip on China's 3C regulatory website and posted about it on his Weibo social media page.

The 3C in China stands for the China Compulsory Certification which is a safety mark indicating that a device has been tested and is safe to use. The model number of the Xiaomi Mix Flip found by the leaker on the 3C site was 2405CPX3DC and did not feature connectivity for satellite messaging and calls that another variant of the phone did. That actually is a good sign for Xiaomi fans outside of China since it means that Xiaomi could be planning a version of the clamshell for international markets.

The Xiaomi Mix Flip might feature a best-in-class 67W fast charger

The Mix Flip without satellite connectivity could also have a leg up on its competition when it comes to a very important metric: charging speed. Digital Chat Station says that this particular variant of the clamshell features 67W wired charging compared to 44W on the vivo X Flip and the Oppo Find N3 Flip. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 delivers wired charging at a rate of 25W while Motorola's Razr+ charges at a top speed of 30W.

Xiaomi Mix Flip with 67W charging, 5G, and no satellite connectivity gets listed on China's 3C website

Besides faster charging, the Xiaomi Mix Flip is expected to feature an ultra-slim build and Leica-branded rear cameras which might give Xiaomi's clamshell an advantage over its rivals. It also is expected to be Xiaomi's first foldable with an IP rating for protection from dust (important for a foldable with a hinge) and water.

The Xiaomi Mix Flip could be introduced in Q3 2024 with the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC under the hood. The device will sport a 50MP sensor with OIS (optical image stabilization) for the main camera. There will be a 12MP Ultra-wide camera and a 10MP periscope telephoto lens delivering 2x optical zoom featuring the 1/2.8-inch Omnivision OV60A sensor. The front-facing camera could be backed by a 32MP Omnivision sensor.

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