Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra's second screen is reportedly from the Mi Band 5

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is one of the more impressive phones of the year thus far, at least on paper. There’s no single headlining feature, as the Ultra covers all of the basics well. But that second screen at the rear is definitely the eye-catcher.

If that rear display looked a little similar to another Xiaomi product, that’s because it is. Xiaomi co-founder Lei Jun (via ITHome) reportedly revealed in a Douyin live stream that the Mi 11 Ultra’s second screen is taken from the ~$30 Mi Band 5.

Xiaomi recently debuted the Mi Band 6, but the fifth iteration of the wearable was an impressive all-rounder. It packs a 1.1-inch 294 x 126 AMOLED display which conveniently fits into the Mi 11 Ultra’s camera bump.

It’s a smart move on Xiaomi’s part, too. Instead of developing a second screen specifically for the Mi 11 Ultra, utilizing the Mi Band 5’s display keep the bill of materials low and uses excess inventory. The second screen needn’t be extremely crisp, as it acts mainly as an info ticker and digital selfie mirror on the Ultra. Using a smaller, low-power display as a second screen also helps the Ultra conserve its 5,000mAh battery.

While other companies may not follow suit, the Mi 11 Ultra is a proof of concept for second screens. In theory, Samsung could add the Gear Fit 2’s display to a forthcoming model. HUAWEI could also do something similar.

The use of the Mi Band 5’s display on the Ultra won’t save the phone from a price shock, though. It starts at 5,999 yuan (~$916) in China, and the only variant in Europe can be had for €1,199 (~$1,415). It’ll likely be the priciest ever Xiaomi phone to launch in India.