In 2024, Xiaomi was working on a smartphone with a single camera — but it never came out

In 2024, Xiaomi experimented with an unusual approach to smartphone design: the company was developing a device with only one main camera. Photos of the back panel of two models with a single cutout — even without a flash — appeared online.

Details

In the photos, you can see the back covers of two different models, one with the working name "amazon" and the other "nebula". They differ slightly in size and curvature. It is reported that the company worked on them in 2024.

Xiaomi has not commented on the existence of these prototypes. Large manufacturers work on numerous prototypes, most of which never leave the labs. The reason for the cancellation of the prototypes is unknown — it could be that it was not due to cameras, or their release was never planned, and these are just test devices for testing certain technologies.

On the other hand, the existence of this concept may shed light on the marketing features of the modern market. A large number of cameras make the device more expensive in the eyes of users, so manufacturers have massively started installing at least 2 MP dummy cameras or even styling the flash as an additional camera module. It is not excluded that Xiaomi developed several test models, but focus group testing showed that a single camera is perceived as cheap, and the company closed the issue.