This Tiny Android Go Phone, Made By Xiaomi Makes Perfect Sense For Indians

Xiaomi with it ever-expanding portfolio of products never ceases to amaze us. Earlier this week, it announced the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro smartphones for the Indian market which were originally launched in China. Likewise, the company is crowdfunding a tiny Android Go smartphone in its home country, which we would love to see in India as well. The handset is a part of Xiaomi’s sub-brand Qin and it is dubbed the “Multi Parent AI Assitant/ 4G phone” [literal translation ;)]. Nevertheless, the device has a distinguishing design and is offered in a multitude of attractive colours.

Xiaomi Qin Android Go Smartphone

The front of the Xiaomi smartphone features a 5.05-inch display that has negligible bezels on all sides except for the chin which is comparatively thicker. Surprisingly, the display of the handset has an aspect ratio of 22.5:9 which is slowly gaining popularity in mid-range and high-end devices like the Sony Xperia 1 and Motorola One Vision. Besides, the display has resoultion of 1440 x 576 px.

In terms of dimensions and weight, the Xiaomi Qin smartphone measures 132.6 x 55.4 x 8.6 mm and tips the scale at a meagre 105 g. The rear panel of the smartphone is made out of hard plastic and the users have the choice to opt for their favourite colour out of four different vibrant options. The rear panel has a neat layout as it only houses the company branding and a single camera along with an LED flash.

The left side of the Xiaomi Qin Android Go smartphone houses the power button and volume rocker as seen on various modern handsets. Additionally, it also has a small button on the left which can be used to toggle the built-in AI voice assistant. It is powered by a 2100 mAh battery which can be charged via the bottom-mounted USB Type C port.

Another notable feature of the smartphone is the presence of an IR blaster that can be used to control different appliances wirelessly in an office or personal living space. Connectivity options on the device include 4 G VoLTE, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2. Details about the chipset or processor on the smartphone are currently available.

In terms of operating system, it runs on Go variant of Android 9.0. For readers who do not know, Android Go is a scaled-down variant of standard Android and it is purpose-built for devices with less powerful hardware. According to substandard Chinese translation, it can run a total of 6 applications including WeChat and has a customised UI which helps for easy navigation.

Xiaomi Qin Quick Specs

• Display: 5.05 inch, 1440 x 576, 22.5:9 aspect ratio
• Dimensions: 132.6 x 55.4 x 8.6 mm
• Weight: 105g
• Battery Capacity: 2100 mAh, 5V2A
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, USB C
• OS: Android 9 GO
• Other Features: IR Blaster, AI Assistant
• Rear Camera: Single Sensor, LED Flash
• Front Camera: N/A
• Storage: 32 GB
• Price: 499 CNY (around Rs 5000)

Why This Device Makes Perfect Sense For Indians?

Taking the fact into consideration, more than half of the mobile owners in India still own a feature phone that is usually limited to 2G connectivity. With the rapid adoption of 4G, the said user base undoubtedly would want to move on to smartphones that have better connectivity options and a lot more features at an economical price point. This is where the Xiaomi Qin smartphone can settle and bridge the gap.

Noteworthy, another smartphone from Xiaomi, the Redmi Go that features a front camera, bigger battery and a lower price tag than Qin is already available in India. Therefore, in order to see worthwhile sales performance, the latter needs to be priced aggressively. We feel Rs 2500 to Rs 3500 would be the sweet spot for it, given Xiaomi decides to bring it to India.

Readers interested in checking the official website can do so by clicking here.

What according to you should be the right price for this smartphone? Let us know in the comments below!