Xiaomi Mi Band 3 leaked tutorial hints at fresh design

After CEO Lei Jun recently confirmed that the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 will be dropping before the end of 2018, a tutorial for the fitness tracker has leaked suggesting the new wearable is nearing on the horizon.

The image below, shared by AndroidTR, shows off the initial setup for the purported tracker, which apparently popped up when the user was trying to translate the Mi Fit application into Spanish. Instead, the UI elements for what could be the next Mi Band appeared.

Read this: Xiaomi Mi Band 3 features we'd like to see

Why could it be the Mi Band 3? Well, though the band in the leak does resemble Xiaomi's current tracker, it also shows a user touching a screen - something the Mi Band 2 didn't feature. So, if we take the image on face value, it appears the new generation will still offer the same capacitive button (acting as the back button), while also featuring an all-new display.

As the leak shows, and as you'd expect, this screen will seemingly allow the user to unlock the device and navigate through the various menus. AndroidTR's report also speculates that the resolution of the screen will be improved through the Mi Band 3, though no specs are given to confirm this.

If the two improvements outlined in the report are to be believed, it would mark quite the change for Xiaomi's fitness tracker. While the Mi Band 2 has proven to be a strong seller for the company in its native China, one of its most attractive points is the price. While rivals routinely pump out trackers for north of , Xiaomi has consistently been able to offer its headline tracker for under.

Whether that form continues through the next generation remains to be seen, but the new touchscreen display and improved resolution through it potentially points to an loftier price tag. We'll find out for sure before the turn of the year, so stay tuned as more leaks like this emerge.