Xiaomi is apparently working on a smart smartphone that resembles the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. The patent was posted on the website of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). The patent application includes sketches of the device in both open and closed form. Judging by these images, when folded, the smartphone will be very compact.
The thumbnails also show a horizontal camera module (reminiscent of a Google Pixel 6 camera) with three sensor holes. However, one of them may well be designed for LED flash. At the bottom end there are speaker holes, a SIM card slot and a USB Type C connector, and on the right you can see the power button and volume control.
It is not clear from the sketches what the front camera of the new Xiaomi clamshell will look like. The company may decide to use Camera Under Panel (CUP) technology, as in Xiaomi MIX Fold.