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The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 has just been certified in Korea. It popped up at NRRA Korea, and the listing does include two photos. Those two photos are actually quite revealing.
The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 gets certified with a familiar design, but different straps
If you check out the images included below this paragraph, you’ll see the device itself, and its straps. The Smart Band 8 design is actually quite familiar. It looks very similar to its predecessor, as Xiaomi decided to stick with the pill-shaped design.
What is considerably different are the straps. This time around, Xiaomi opted for a two-piece setup, instead of a single-piece. That is a first when it comes to this series of Xiaomi fitness trackers.
Xiaomi already used it in the Redmi Watch 3 and the Smart Band 7 Pro, but this particular series did not until now. Based on the images, we’re not looking at a regular connection port, however.
The company is using proprietary connectors
You will not be able to attach standard watch bands here, but only the ones with Xiaomi’s proprietary connectors. That is not surprising at all, as this is a compact smart band. Xiaomi had limited space to use, and it has been using proprietary ports on such fitness gadgets since the start.
The company is offering smartwatches that come with standard connectors, though. A great example is the Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro which got announced globally a couple of days ago, during the MWC 2023.
Having said that, the bands that got certified at NRRA in Korea are rubber bands. They do look quite familiar too. The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 appeared under the model number ‘M2239B1’, by the way.
Unfortunately, that’s all we know thus far. No specs were shared, other than the dimensions that you can see in the provided images. There’s a ruler next to the fitness tracker and its straps. Do note that the launch could be just around the corner at this point.