Xiaomi 17 Pro and Pro Max to feature Magic Back Screen

Xiaomi confirmed it will unveil its next flagship family, the Xiaomi 17 series, later this month in China, announcing three models — the 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max — and revealing that its Pro and Pro Max models will include a secondary rear display integrated into the camera module. The company said the lineup will be among the first phones to ship with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and positioned the move as a direct challenge to Apple's new iPhone 17 series.

The rear panel display, which Xiaomi calls the Magic Back Screen, was shown in a brief teaser video shared by the company and in subsequent promotional images. The clip and images illustrate several uses: clock faces and widgets, notifications, and a rear-camera viewfinder that would let users frame selfies using the primary cameras. Xiaomi characterized the feature as a more ambitious iteration of the small rear display it tested on the 2021 Mi 11 Ultra; leaked renders and hands-on images suggest the new panel is substantially larger and more tightly integrated with the camera island.

Camera and core hardware details have largely come from leaks and benchmarking listings. Multiple Chinese sources and...