The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is a pretty anticipated fitness tracker, and people have been waiting for a global launch after it was announced in China in early June. However, it seems the international version might have some cool features missing on the original device.
A resource file for the Mi Band 5 has leaked, and image files within suggest Xiaomi is planning to add a few features that the Chinese version of the fitness tracker lacked, as reported by TizenHelp.
We'd take this leak with a pinch of salt, because a picture in a leaked file is a far cry from confirmation about any product features, but it hints that this might be the case.
- Read our Xiaomi Mi Band 4 review
- These are the best cheap fitness trackers
- What do we know about the Apple Watch 6?
These are the new features
One of these is Amazon Alexa connectivity, so you can control your smart home, search the web or set a timer just by using your voice. The Fitbit Versa 2 had the same, and while you couldn't do everything on it you could on your Echo Show, it was still a useful feature.
The leak also suggests the Mi Band 5 will get an Sp02 sensor, which monitors how much oxygen is in your blood. This can be useful for noticing abnormalities, such as sleep apnea, which is indicated by a low blood oxygen saturation. This is becoming a more widespread feature – even the Apple Watch 6 is rumored to get an Sp02 sensor.
Finally, there's more evidence that the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 will have NFC, or near-field communication, which is most useful for contactless payments but has a range of other uses too. Typically Mi Band devices have this when they release in China, and the Band 5 did, but when they roll out internationally they lack the feature. This leak suggests the global version will have NFC too.
We don't know when the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is set to roll out worldwide, but when it does, it's shaping up to be a real competitor for the title of best fitness tracker.
