The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 was released back in April 2023, but we're still waiting for a global release.
It’s only been announced in China right now, and we're seeing an unprecedented wait for it to come to global markets.
The Mi Band 8 brings minimal physical upgrades over its predecessor, but some significant improvements under the hood.
The budget fitness tracker has been a colossal hit since 2014, with strong features and a low price, in comparison to the likes of the Fitbit Charge 5 and Inspire 3.
Global release date and price
There's no current release date around the Mi Band 8 or Mi Band 8 Pro.
The company released that device way back in April 2023 in China, but there’s been no word on a global release. You can get the non-global version in other markets, but it's not ideal.
Looking back to previous years, there’s been a worldwide launch by June – but that’s come and gone.
Last year, Xiaomi launched its Mi Band 7 Pro in October, so it feels like that may happen this year.
But should Xiaomi opt not to launch its standard fitness tracker globally, it would be a huge statement about the state of the wearables market, and the end of an era.
However, a new rumor points to an October release date for the standard Mi Band 8.
It's been spotted at a European retailer – so it's still possible that we see the Mi Band 8 before the holiday season.
Xiaomi band 8 will retail for CNY 249 (which is around $35). There is set to be a NFC version for CNY 299 ($43) – but there's no confirmed international prices or release date. All indications are that it will retain the same £40/$50 price point when a global version emerges.
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 key specs
The Mi Band 8 still offers a 1.62-inch, 192 x 490-pixel AMOLED always-on display, which was introduced on the previous generation.
While the screen resolution or size hasn’t changed, it is brighter and has been treated to a larger 60Hz refresh rate.
> Our guide to the best fitness trackers.
| Mi Band 8 | Mi Band 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 1.62-inch 192 x 490 AMOLED 600 nit 60 Hz | 1.62 inch 192 x 490 AMOLED 500 nit |
| Sensors | PPG HR SpO2 (blood oxygen) 6-axis motion | PPG heart rate SpO2 (blood oxygen) 3-axis accelerometer 3-axis gyroscope |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.1 LE | Bluetooth 5.2 LE |
| Battery | 190 mAh 16 days standard 6 day with AOD | 180 mAh 14 days battery life |
| Water resistance | 5ATM (50m) | 5ATM (50m) |
| Dimensions | 48 x 22.5 x 10.99mm | 46.5 x 20.7 x 12.25mm |
Read our full Xiaomi Mi Band 8 vs Mi Band 8 comparison guide.
New style and better battery life
Battery life has also been beefed up, and the Mi Band 8 is quoted as lasting 16 days between charges, and 6 days if you use the always-on display. That’s up from 14 days on the Mi Band 7.
Xiaomi
As we reported from early rumors, Xiaomi has changed the straps, which now clip into the module directly – which looks far more modern and attractive.
And Xiaomi has focused on increasing the number of strap choices. By and large, Mi Bands have been left with charmless, rubber bands that hold the module in place. The new straps certainly elevate the design, and give the impression of a design change.
Xiaomi has also doubled down on the Mi Band’s ability to clip onto clothing and still track movement, and it also showcased its ability to track metrics from running shoes – however, the extent of this data and insights is unclear.
Xiaomi
Xiaomi is getting deeper into the insights game, however, and the Mi Band 8 will use its improved accelerometer sensor to plug into fitness courses in the Mi Fitness app, which are based on movement.
We hope this rolls out to an international audience, and we’re excited to see what kind of insights it could provide.
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