Xiaomi’s New Phone Outdoes iPhone With a Secondary Display
▼ Summary
– Xiaomi’s new 17 series flagship phones feature a major design overhaul, moving from a large circular camera module to a rectangular one with a built-in second screen.
– The secondary screen, called the Dynamic Back Display, can show the time and notifications, be used for selfies with the main camera, and run some games.
– This dual-screen design offers some advantages of folding phones but in a more traditional and accessible “candy-bar” smartphone package.
– The 17 Pro Max has a flat screen and a comfortable metal frame, with a design feel comparable to high-end competitors like the Pixel and iPhone.
– Xiaomi has intentionally limited the functionality of the Dynamic Back Display, tailoring its content to specific uses.
The latest flagship smartphones from Xiaomi, the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, introduce a groundbreaking design innovation that directly challenges industry conventions. Moving beyond the familiar large circular camera modules of its predecessors, the new series incorporates a secondary display on the rear, offering a fresh take on multitasking and camera functionality. This strategic shift positions Xiaomi’s 2025 lineup as a formidable competitor, particularly against established players like Apple, by integrating a dual-screen experience into a traditional candy-bar form factor.
Folding phones have popularized the concept of multiple screens, but their premium cost and specific design aren’t universally appealing. Xiaomi has cleverly extracted the core advantages of a second screen and integrated them into a more accessible, polished device. The Dynamic Back Display on the 17 Pro Max is a rectangular panel measuring roughly 2.5 by 1.8 inches, though the usable area is slightly reduced by rounded corners and the intrusion of two prominent camera lenses. This secondary screen is not a full Android interface but a carefully curated tool designed for specific tasks.
Holding the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max reveals a design very much in line with current trends, featuring a flat screen and a comfortable metal frame. The feel in hand is notably similar to other high-end devices, such as Google’s Pixel 10 Pro XL, and the overall aesthetic now more closely mirrors Apple’s latest iPhones, a deliberate move in Xiaomi’s updated naming strategy. The usefulness of the back screen can be inconsistent, but its presence offers a distinct and refreshing alternative in a crowded market.
Xiaomi has intentionally limited the functionality of the Dynamic Back Display to ensure a focused user experience. This secondary panel is engineered to perform five key functions: it shows the time and notifications, enables high-quality selfies using the powerful main camera system, and can even run select games, providing a novel way to interact with the device without needing to turn it over. This approach demonstrates a thoughtful distillation of the dual-screen concept, prioritizing practical applications over sheer versatility.
(Source: Wired)
