Why Xiaomi Mi 8 Lacks Infrared Remote Control Option?

Those who are familiar with the Xiaomi flagships know they have always come with an infrared remote control option. When the Xiaomi Mi 8 and its siblings were announced, there was no similar function for the most of them. This cause a lot of stir in the net because Xiaomi fans have been used to see the infrared sensor on the top of their phones and use them in daily tasks. So one of them asked the company why they have canceled this option. Surprisingly, Lei Jun replied to this question himself.

Before we get acquainted with his explanation, we should recall there are three models – the Xiaomi Mi 8, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition, and the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE. As the names suggest, the former model is the annual flagship of the company. Therefore, it should come with trendy features but there should be a balance between the price and hardware. So the manufacturer doesn’t put too many innovations in it. The Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition is the most innovative smartphone of the company that comes with a translucent back cover, Face ID, and on-screen fingerprint. Finally, as for the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE, it is considered to be the mini variant of the regular model. Therefore, some features yield its founding father.

It’s not hard to guess only the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE supports the traditional infrared remote control option. So Lei Jun said the Xiaomi Mi 8 has too many stuff on its forehead. Therefore, it’s difficult to fit an additional infrared sensor in. it’s obvious when looking at the forehead of all three models. The Mi 8 SE forehead carries only the soft light and a 20MP camera, the Mi 8 forehead carries a 20MP camera and an infrared sensor for face unlock feature, and finally, the Explorer Edition comes with a 20MP camera and the 3D structured light that makes it the first Android smartphone with a Face ID option.