Xiaomi confirms Mi Band 8 announcement date and teases one huge design upgrade

Xiaomi will unveil the much-rumored Mi Band 8 as part of a special event on 18 April, with the company's teaser poster also showing off redesigned bands for the upcoming fitness tracker.

The news follows a February rumor of a ramp-up in production ahead of a potential global launch for the Mi Band 8, and the first images of the tracker leaking just a few weeks ago.

Given what we've seen from past launches - like last year's Xiaomi Mi Band 7 and Band 7 Pro - it's likely the upcoming tracker will initially be limited to China before a global rollout in a few months.

And, as we say, when it does get a full unveiling alongside the company's latest smartphone series, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, the new band mechanism would appear to be the headline change. 

Update: The Mi Band 8 is now official in China. Check out our full story.

Xiaomi

Rather than the wraparound band we've seen on previous iterations of the tracker, with the pill-shaped tracker fitting inside, the Mi Band 8 appears to offer the more traditional two-piece detachable straps.

Instead of the silicone bands we're used to seeing from the Mi Band range, the teaser also appears to suggest that this strap change could lead to more premium in-house options, such as leather and metal.

At this stage, however, it's not clear what other changes the Mi Band 8 will bring. 

And even if there are additional new features, it's also important to keep in mind that they may not make it to the global edition. 

As we saw with the Mi Band 7 global model, it's possible that features like voice assistant support and NFC functionality will continue to be exclusive to the China edition.

We'll have all the release details on 18 April - and we're also keeping our eyes peeled for a potential Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro announcement over the summer. Stay tuned.