Xiaomi Mi Band 5 to offer contactless payments outside of China for the first time

Latest leak points to worldwide pay support and larger display

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 could be the first fitness tracker from the company to offer contactless payment support outside of China, according to a new leak.

In the last two iterations of the Mi Band, Xiaomi has only supported contactless payments in its home territory of China, though a report from TizenHelp indicates things may be changing for the upcoming tracker.

Related reading: Best budget fitness trackers in 2020

We don't yet have any concrete indications when the Mi Band 5 will hit shelves (though previous launches would point towards a Q2 announcement), but, if the report is to be believed, it appears Xiaomi will introduce a long-awaited feature for the first time.

What isn't confirmed is just how Xiaomi plans to do so - whether it would expand its Mi Pay service or open up a global version of the tracker to work with other platforms, such as Google Pay.

Interestingly, though, a different approach to contactless payments isn't the only thing hinted in the latest leak, with a larger display also suggested for the Mi Band 5.

Instead of the 0.95-inch display that featured on the Mi Band 4, it appears we could be set for a much bigger screen in the next generation - one measuring a full 1.2-inches.

With that larger screen will also come better resolution, with the tracker set to be easier to read in direct sunlight than previous devices, it's said.

As ever, though, it's important to sprinkle a touch of scepticism upon any leak. While these are two very plausible potential features for the next Mi Band, there's nothing outside of unknown source information to suggest this is actually happening.

We should get a more official idea on specs and potential features as we creep closer to launch, but, until then, stay tuned for more.