Xiaomi on Sunday announced a new entry-level smartphone. The device, called RedMi 2, is likely to replace the RedMi 1S in the list of Xiaomi's smartphones. It has the same 4.7-inch screen size but comes with updated internal hardware, which should help it take on the competition better.
The RedMi 2 is powered by the 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor. This is a quad-core processor running at 1.2GHz. It uses Cortex ARM A53 cores and Adreno 306 graphics chip. Compared to the RedMi 1S, which is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 running at 1.6GHz, the new processor in the RedMi 2 should be slightly faster than the older phone, at least on paper.
The RedMi 2 has 8GB internal storage, support for dual SIM with 4G connectivity and 1GB RAM. The screen sports 720p resolution. The phone will come with MiUI 6, which is the next version of the Android-based MiUI ROM. It is likely to have a flatter and slicker looking user interface compared to what is available in MiUI 5.
The device has a 8-megapixel rear camera with support for 1080p video recording and 2-megapixel front camera.
The RedMi 2 will go on sale in China on January 9 at a price of around $110 (around Rs.6,500).
Currently, it is not clear when Xiaomi will launch the RedMi 2 in India. For now the company is focussed on selling the RedMi Note as it is having some legal issues due to a case filed by Ericsson, which alleges that Xiaomi products unfairly violate its patents.
Last month Delhi High Court asked Xiaomi to stop selling and importing its phones in India while it decides on the case filed by Ericsson. But a few days later, the Chinese company got interim relief for its devices powered by Qualcomm processors.
The RedMi 2 is powered by a Qualcomm processor so it is possible that the device may come to India soon. If it does, it will help Xiaomi take on the devices like the Moto E, which continues to be popular among budget shoppers, as well as the Micromax Yu Yureka, a new phone that has managed to undercut the RedMi Note 4G on price.
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