Xiaomi Executive Teases Launch of Phone With Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Chip Amid Reports of Plans to Launch Redmi K70

Redmi K70 is expected to launch in China soon as a successor to the company's Redmi K60 handset. The Redmi K70 series of smartphones was previously tipped to be introduced later in the year. The lineup is said to comprise three models, similar to the preceding Redmi K60 series which includes the Redmi K60, Redmi K60 Pro, and Redmi K60E. Design renders and key specifications of the base upcoming Redmi K70 model have previously leaked online. Now, a top Xiaomi executive has teased the processor details of a phone that could debut as the Redmi K70.

In a Weibo post, Xiaomi China President Lu Weibing states that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset was the “flagship darling of 2023” (translated from Chinese) owing to its power and performance efficiency. He added an open question later in the post where he wonders if, in 2024, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC will be able to replace Qualcomm's Snapdragon 870 chipset.

In another post soon after, Weibing announces that the Redmi K70 will launch soon as as the Xiaomi sub-brand celebrates its 10-year anniversary. Given the timing of Weibing's posts, it is possible that the mention of Qualcomm's chipset is a hint that the Redmi K70 could be equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC — even though neither the company nor the executive have directly suggested that the Redmi K70 will carry the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.

The Redmi K60 series was launched in December 2022. Based on the launch schedule of Redmi products in the past, it is likely that the Redmi K70 will launch next month — a previous leak suggested the same launch window.

The base Redmi K60 model is powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. It is also worth mentioning that the Redmi K70 with the model number 2311DRK48C was spotted on Geekbench recently with a processor that is said to be the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 SoC. It is best to take these details with a grain of salt as there is no official confirmation from the company on this front.

Recently, the Poco F6 with the model number 2311DRK481 was reportedly spotted in a listing on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) site, hinting at an imminent India launch. The model is said to arrive as the rebranded version of the Redmi K70. While the Redmi handset is tipped to launch in December, the Poco F6 is likely to hit the Indian market within the first quarter of 2024.