We recently acquired a Chinese model of the Xiaomi 18 Pro, a new smartphone that has sparked interest, particularly because it is expected to be available in France. This would mark the first time a Pro model from the Xiaomi brand is sold in the country since the Xiaomi 13 Pro. The Xiaomi 18 Pro has a small 2.7-inch screen on the back, near its camera sensors, in addition to the main 6.4-inch screen. Here are five features of the back screen that impressed us, along with a sixth that we would like to see. The first feature is the preview screen for taking photos. This is undoubtedly the most noticeable aspect of the back screen: it allows users to see a preview of the photo they are about to take. This is especially useful for taking selfies with the phone's best camera. A swipe from the left edge to the center of the small screen launches the camera interface, which includes all the standard buttons for photography modes and settings. However, the small screen limits the space available for interacting with these options. The back screen also helps the person being photographed see what they look like, similar to how foldable smartphones operate. To activate this feature, you need to use a small button at the top left of the main screen's camera interface. Another useful feature is the ability to answer a call without flipping the phone. The back screen displays an incoming call, and tapping on it shows the caller's number or name. From there, you can either reject the call or answer it using the default speakerphone. You can also display incoming notifications on the back screen, but this requires enabling permissions for selected apps in the settings. The Xiaomi 18 Pro also allows users to generate their own dedicated application for the back screen using artificial intelligence. By providing a prompt to describe the idea, the AI takes about five minutes to generate the app. This feature, accessible through the back screen settings, is still in beta but works quite well. For example, using voice dictation, I was able to create a d20 simulator for Dungeons and Dragons. The back screen can also display practical information such as the weather, step counter, and music player. Users can choose the background of the back screen from a variety of options, including some featuring cute animals. Two particularly useful features are the weather and step counter, which provide handy information without needing to flip the phone. Users can also select which applications appear on the back screen from a predefined list, including the music player, calendar, or a control center for connected Xiaomi Home devices. The Xiaomi Home app also offers a live feed from connected security cameras. A simple but effective feature is timer management. If you start a timer on the Xiaomi 18 Pro, you can monitor the countdown from the back screen. While this is a small detail, it adds convenience. There are still areas to improve, such as the list of applications that can be displayed on the back screen, which includes DiDi and AMap, Chinese equivalents of Uber and Google Maps. These apps may not function well in France, but it might be possible to track ride progress or check navigation instructions. While we were unable to test this, it will be interesting to see how these features perform on the French version of the Xiaomi 18 Pro. The back screen settings are somewhat cluttered, making it easy to get lost between background management, app displays, and personalization options. We expect the French firmware to improve, including better translations.