Xiaomi launches VoLTE-ready Rs 6,999 Redmi 4 smartphone: Things to know

With an efficient 4,100 mAh battery, Redmi 4 will be available from May 23 noon on Mi.com, Amazon.in

China-based smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi on Tuesday updated its entry-level Redmi series with the launch of the Redmi 4 smartphone in India. Successor to the already famous Redmi 3S, the latest smartphone carries the legacy forward by offering a very efficient 4100mAh battery in a compact design form. The smartphone, priced at Rs 6,999, will be available from 12 noon on May 23 on Amazon India, Mi.com and Mi home.

Coming to the specifications, the dual-SIM smartphone features a 5-inch HD screen enclosed in a metal body. The screen is covered with a 2.5D curved glass that adds to the overall design language of the smartphone. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor, which is an octa-core SoC, coupled with an Adreno 505 GPU. The Redmi 4 supports 4G LTE and VoLTE out of the box, covering all-India LTE bands.

Key features of the Redmi 4:

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 Octa-core processor
• 4100mAh battery that can last for 2 days under regular usage
• 13MP PDAF (phase detection autofocus) camera, 5MP, f/2.0 front with Beautify mode
• 5-inch HD display
• Metal body with fingerprint sensor. 2.5D curved glass
• Dual SIM (3-choose-2 hybrid SIM tray)
• LTE and VoLTE support
• Three variants: 2GB RAM + 16GB Flash, 3GB + 32GB, and 4GB + 64GB
• Up to 128GB microSD expandable storage
• Available in Black and Gold colours
• MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0

On the camera front, the Redmi 4 sports a 13 megapixel rear camera assisted with phase detection autofocus (PDAF) for faster focusing. The camera is capable to record 1080P full HD video. On the front, there is a 5MP, f/2.0 aperture camera that features beautification mode for clearer selfies.

The Redmi 4 boots Android 6.0.1 with MIUI 8 on the top. However, the device can be upgraded to Android Nougat preview that will further be upgraded to Nougat version very soon.

The Redmi 4 has been launched in three variants -- 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM, 3GB + 32GB, and 4GB + 64GB. All the variants feature expandable card slot that can take microSD card of up to 128GB.

The 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM variant of the smartphone is priced at INR 6,999, and 3GB + 32GB variant will be available for INR 8,999. The 4GB + 64GB variant will be launched at INR 10,999 by the end of June.

On the sidelines of the Redmi 4 launch event, Xiaomi also unveiled Mi Router 3C – a smart router optimised for ease of use, speed and range and easily accessed by a smart Mi Wi-Fi app on your smartphone.

The router is equipped with four high-performance antennas each with a dedicated PCB circuit and has a 2-transmit, 2-receive antenna design. This improves both the Wi-Fi range and signal stability dramatically and ensures a stable, fast and secure connection even at long distances. Mi Router 3C has 64 MB of RAM and offers a wireless speed of 300mbps. It can connect up to 64 devices including 20 computing devices and 44 IoT devices.

The Mi Wi-Fi smart app makes setup and network management very simple. It also provides very easy access to real-time monitoring of bandwidth usage, QoS to prioritize bandwidth to devices and Wi-Fi boost. It also allows pre-configured guest sharing of the Wi-Fi password and parental controls.

Xiaomi Vice President and India Managing Director, Manu Jain said, “Redmi 3S was one of the most popular smartphones last year. We sold more than 4 million units of Redmi 3S during the life cycle of the product. Today we are thrilled to announce Redmi 4, which is an upgrade to Redmi 3S. Each of our Redmi devices have redefined the affordable smartphone segment in India, and we believe Redmi 4 too will meet the expectations of Mi Fans users who want high quality devices at an affordable price.

We are committed to launching several of our ecosystem products in India, and bringing technological innovations to everyone. With the fast growing internet population in the country, we saw a big gap in the current router market. With amazing smart features, and a game-changing price, Mi Router 3C is set to disrupt the router market in India.”

Bengaluru consumers can also buy Redmi 4 from Xiaomi’s first Mi Home in India situated at Phoenix Market City, Bangalore starting 20th May 2017. They can also pre-book a device from Mi.com between 16th and 19th May by paying a small token advance of Rs. 1,000 and pick it up from Mi Home on 20th May.

Mi Router 3C will also make its debut in India on 20th May at Mi Home and will be available for purchase on Mi.com on 23rd May 2017 and on Flipkart.com and Amazon.in starting 8th June 2017 at INR 1,199.