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Mi Box 4 hits FCC: Is Xiaomi planning a US launch soon?
- A new Xiaomi Mi Box, which we think is the Mi Box 4, has appeared on the FCC website.
- The new streaming box has a rejigged remote, complete with a Netflix shortcut key.
- If it’s anything like the Mi Box 4’s Chinese pricing, we can expect a similarly cheap price tag in the U.S.
The Xiaomi Mi Box (also called Mi Box 3) isn’t without its flaws, but it’s tough to argue that it isn’t a great deal at ~$70. Now, we’ve spotted a new streaming box, which could be the Mi Box 4, passing through the FCC’s website.
The FCC listing shows us a few photos of the device too, confirming that it is indeed a new streaming box rather than the 2016-era product. We’re not 100 percent sure whether this is the Mi Box 4 or Mi Box 4C though, but we’ve got the model number MDZ-22-AB.
The Mi Box 4 was only available in white when it launched in China earlier this year, while the cheaper Mi Box 4C was available in black. We think this is the Mi Box 4, though, because the user manual references a Bluetooth voice remote — the Mi Box 4C lacks Bluetooth connectivity and uses infrared instead.
Speaking of the remote, we see two extra shortcut keys, with one looking like a Netflix button. The original Mi Box’s microphone button has been retained too, albeit shifted to the top of the remote. Hopefully the device is running Android Oreo and the Google Assistant rather than Android 6.0 Marshmallow as is the case with the Chinese variants.
Other than Bluetooth connectivity (or the lack thereof), RAM is the other major difference between the 2018 streaming boxes. The Mi Box 4 packs 2GB of RAM, while the cheaper model offers 1GB. Don’t expect a hefty power upgrade over the 2016 Mi Box either, because the three boxes share near-identical chipsets.
Xiaomi hasn’t officially announced U.S. availability or pricing, but the Mi Box 4 and 4C originally launched at 349 yuan (~$52) and 249 yuan (~$38) respectively.