Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 prototype
Is this the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2? Weibo

Xiaomi's first Mi Mix smartphone, which launched in late 2016, is largely credited as playing a large part in establishing the mobile industry's current love affair with bezel-less devices. In 2017 we've already seen Samsung Galaxy S8, LG G6, as well as the upcoming Essential Phone, follow suit with eye-catching edge-to-edge displays.

Up until now we've only heard rumblings of a successor from the 'Apple of the East', but thanks to an alleged leaked image of a Mi Mix 2 prototype, we might finally have an idea what a next-gen Mi Mix could look like – and it's quite something.

More from IBTimes UK

The image, which surfaced on Chinese social media site Weibo, shows a stunningly lean handset which takes the concept of bezel-less a step further than any other smartphone to date.

In a slight tweak to the already ample-screened original Mi Mix, the prototype slims the bottom bezel down even further to create an Android flagship that all but eliminates any of its front panel that isn't a part of the display.

The device also appears to be thinner than the already ultra-slender 7.9mm Mi Mix and has rounded edges somewhat akin to the Galaxy S8's Infinity Display. As with the original Mi Mix phone, its speakers are nowhere to be seen – presumably Xiaomi will be iterating on its "cantilever piezoelectric ceramic acoustic technology", which transmitted sound through vibrations.

While it's worth taking the 'leak' with a grain of salt for the time being, it's not too far-fetched to think Xiaomi will be looking to build on the 91.3% screen-to-body ratio achieved by the hugely popular Mi Mix.

Expected to launch in September, the Mi Mix 2 is rumoured to include Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 chipset, up to 6GB of RAM, a 19-megapixel camera and an AMOLED display - the latter a welcome upgrade over the first phone's 6.4in Full HD panel.

–

Android