Screen sizes have been creeping upward for years, but a 7-inch smartphone is still a statement. Tipster Digital Chat Station just dropped a Weibo post claiming Redmi is developing two next-generation phones: a standard 6.59-inch model for the mid-range Pro segment, and a second device built around a 7-inch panel specifically designed for heavy performance use. Neither has been officially named. But the leak trail leading here has been building since February.
Summary
- Digital Chat Station claims Redmi is testing two phones — a 6.59-inch mid-range Pro model and a 7-inch performance device, likely for the K100 or Note 17 Pro Max series.
- Earlier leaks from April pegged the 7-inch device at 2K resolution, a high refresh rate, and a 10,000mAh battery — consistent with the Redmi K100 series rumored for an August China launch.
- Honor is separately reported to be developing its own 7-inch phone with a 185Hz refresh rate, alongside a 6.89-inch model on a 2nm chip.
- The Redmi Note series just crossed 500 million global sales — providing commercial context for why Xiaomi would push the size envelope in this lineup.
- Most current flagships — Xiaomi 17 Ultra, iPhone 17 Pro Max, Huawei Mate 80 Pro Max — top out around 6.9 inches. A 7-inch phone would be a new category in mainstream Android.
This Leak Has Receipts
Digital Chat Station has been circling this device since February, when they first mentioned two companies testing 7-inch phones without naming them. By April, a more specific leak tied Redmi to a 7-inch display with a 10,000mAh battery. Late April added 2K resolution and a high refresh rate. A separate May report linked the 7-inch screen to the Redmi K100 series. Now, in July, DCS is back — confirming the same device is still in development and pairing it with a more conventional 6.59-inch sibling.
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That's four months of converging signals from the same source. It doesn't guarantee a launch, but it's a more serious pipeline than a one-off rumor.
The K100 series is currently expected to debut in August in China. The K100 and K100 Pro are tipped for that window, while the K100 Pro Max is said to push into 2027. The 7-inch model may slot into that lineup — or it could surface as a Note 17 Pro Max. Either way, August appears to be the earliest realistic window.
A 7-inch smartphone used to mean you were buying a small tablet. In 2026, it might just mean you're buying the biggest phone Redmi has ever made — with a 10,000mAh battery to match.
Redmi Isn't the Only One
Honor is reportedly working on its own 7-inch device with a 185Hz refresh rate, alongside a 6.89-inch phone built on a 2nm chip. Two major Chinese brands independently chasing 7-inch displays in the same development cycle isn't a coincidence — it suggests the category has internal business case support at both companies. Whether buyers will follow is the unresolved question. Larger phones have historically found strong audiences in markets like India, Southeast Asia, and China, where media consumption and gaming drive purchase decisions more than pocket-friendliness.
Why It Makes Sense Right Now
Batteries are getting bigger — 8,000mAh, 10,000mAh, even 11,000mAh on the Honor X80 Pro Max. Bigger batteries need more physical space. Bigger displays need more physical space. A 7-inch phone isn't a crazy idea; it's a logical endpoint of trends that have been accelerating all year.
The Redmi Note series crossing 500 million global sales, confirmed this week, also tells you Xiaomi knows exactly who buys these phones. Mid-range buyers with big screens. Battery-first buyers. Price-sensitive markets where display size punches above its weight as a purchase driver. A 7-inch Note or K-series device fits that audience almost perfectly.
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