Fast-growing Chinese device maker Xiaomi unveiled its next smartphone, which will see it moving into the phablet category.

It said that its Redmi Note will have a 5.5-inch screen, and include a “true octacore processor”. It is being released via Qzone, the social networking site created by Tencent, with the launch slated for next week.

By using the Redmi brand, it seems likely the Note will be a mid-tier device, rather than a sibling for the more powerful Mi3.

Xiaomi is in the midst of a geographic expansion, moving from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan into markets in Southeast Asia, including Singapore, and with Malaysia in the pipeline.

And it is Asian markets that are driving phablet growth.

Watch our recent interview with Xiaomi’s Hugo Barra here.