Xiaomi has recently applied for a patent for a new smartphone with a dual display.

No, it is not foldable nor any conventional designs available in the market now. After all, Xiaomi is no longer stranger to pushing for crazy ideas like the wraparound displays and pop-up cameras.

Twitter user Gadgetsdata first spotted the patent and shared it on Twitter. As reported by Tech Radar, Xiaomi is seeking to get a patent for a dual display phone that is not foldable.

Xiaomi filed a patent for a new Smartphone which has Dual display on front & back & it's not a foldable phone
Probably it's the upcoming Mi Mix series phones pic.twitter.com/gXEdKWRuC2 — Gadgetsdata(Debayan Roy) (@Gadgetsdata) July 10, 2020

"Xiaomi filed a patent for a new Smartphone which has Dual display on front & back & it's not a foldable phone Probably it's the upcoming Mi Mix series phones," Gadgetsdata tweeted on Friday, July 10.

Based on the patent sketch, the front of the phone looks like the Alpha. However, its display stretches sideways and features very slim bezels on top and bottom. The front camera, as well as the power and volume buttons, cannot be seen.

The back of the phone carries more surprising features-the top half sports a large camera, which could change in the final product. Meanwhile, the bottom half of the back shows a second screen.

The design is similar to the Mi Mix Alpha, but less polarizing and more practical. This could be an indication that it could be included in the Mi Mix series. The Mi Mix 3, which is the last device in the lineage, was unveiled in 2018, but it makes a refresh now.

Meanwhile, the implementation of the patent may be similar to that of ZTE Nubia Z20. The secondary display can be used along with the cameras for better selfies or use the entire phone while. Its implementation could have more interesting uses of software such as a presentation mode, ambient display, and extra animations.

While this may be an exciting product to look forward to, a patent does not guarantee a confirmation of an upcoming device. However, it does suggest what the company is currently exploring. If this phone somehow reaches the market, it could be the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4.

This is not the first crazy phone idea from Xiaomi

Early this year, Xiaomi has filed a patent for an unconventional model called the Mi Mix Alpha, which had a wraparound display that extends on all four sides. While these are not for mainstream smartphones, some elements will also be featured in the Mi Mix series, such as full-screen displays.

Meanwhile, another patent was submitted late last year for Xiaomi. It is for a foldable smartphone design that is similar to Huawei's Mate X smartphone. The patent drawings that were slightly enhanced by LetsGoDigital show a smartphone with a screen that folds outwards. It can be held in a bar where four cameras are located. Since there is no dedicated selfie camera, these cameras will be used for close-up shots as well.

Whether this idea will be realized in the future is yet to see. After all, a patent does not guarantee the product will reach the market.

Read also: Another Pre-installed Malware Detected on Budgeted Smartphones