Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
Redmi Note 5 is back in rumour mill, which now has word on not just the specifications but also the price and launch timeline of the upcoming handset. The handset is reportedly undergoing internal testing, quelling rumours that Xiaomi will launch the Redmi 5 Plus instead of the Redmi Note 5 as a successor to the popular Redmi Note 4. This will be a major launch for the company, as the Redmi Note 5 will help it compete with the slew of affordable smartphones expected to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2018 in late February, such as Nokia 6 (2018) and the next-generation Moto G devices.
A report by MyDrivers suggests that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is being internally tested and the company will launch the phone in Q2 2018. Rumours also suggest that the smartphone will be priced higher than its predecessor, and is expected to be priced at CNY 1,599 (roughly Rs. 15,700) for the base variant. As for the launch date, Redmi Note 5 is expected to hit the market sometime in the second quarter of the year. However, there is no word yet on the India launch yet, but we can expect it to come to the Indian market within weeks of the announcement.
The release has apparently been delayed as Xiaomi is waiting for Qualcomm to announce its latest Snapdragon 632 processor which is a toned down, underclocked variant of the Snapdragon 636 chipset. The Snapdragon 632, however, retains the Qualcomm Spectra 160 ISP modem that is better optimised for dual camera setups.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 might run on MIUI 9 based on Android 7.1 Nougat. The phone is expected to sport a 5.99-inch full-HD+ (1080x2160 pixels) display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. According to the MyDrivers report, the smartphone will be powered by the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor. A recent Oppomart listing suggested that the phone will come in two variants - 3GB RAM/ 32GB inbuilt storage and 4GB RAM/ 64GB inbuilt storage. On the camera front, the smartphone is said to pack a dual camera setup on the rear. Earlier reports have also suggested a 5-megapixel front camera.
Redmi Note 5 will have huge shoes to fill as Redmi Note 4 was a huge success for Xiaomi, and helped pull Xiaomi out of the decline of 2016 to once again becoming a fast-growing player on the world stage. It also helped the Chinese brand clock well over a million units a month in the second half of 2017, and become the biggest smartphone vendor in India during the last quarter, alongside Samsung.
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